What? Doug Masters wasn't killed?

Doug Masters not only wasn't killed but morphed into another person. IE IV is a good example of a movie series going bad following the first one. In IE I we are introduced to Chappy Sinclair (Gossett Jr.) and a group of overly indulged teenagers living on an Air Force base. IE I tells the story of Col. Ted Masters daring rescue by his son Doug. It's an improbable story but Lout Gossett Jr. and Jason Gedrick give credible performances.
In the fourth installment Gedrick is replaced by another Jason ... Jason Cadieux. Cadieux does a fair job but his acting skills are minimal. We learn that Doug didn't die when his jet crashed but survived and spent some time as a prisoner with the Russians. Unfortunately his ordeal as a prisoner left him with a severe case of depression and a drinking problem. When he and Chappy finally meet Doug has become a crop duster with a drinking problem. Chappy needs his help to work with a group of deliquents who have "enrolled" (i.e., court ordered) in his flying school, aka, THE IRON EAGLES. Gossett Jr. must've owed the producer a favor to sign up for this project. He did his part but the supporting cast failed miserably.
I rented this movie on my IN DEMAND channel for $1.95. The only thing good about this flic was the end.