Todd is a young Black Air Force candidate in a flight training school in Macon County, Alabama, during World War II. He is highly sensitive and determined to prove his capabilities are equal to those of his white counterparts. His intense fear of judgment from white officers causes him immense anxiety, making him defensive and proud, even when injured.

Jefferson is a Black sharecropper living in rural Alabama who discovers Todd's crashed plane. He is a compassionate, patient man who attempts to distract the injured pilot with fantastical stories. Despite Todd's initial hostility and judgment, Jefferson remains consistently kind and demonstrates a sharp awareness of the racial dynamics in their society.

Dabney Graves is a white landowner in rural Alabama who exercises authority over the local sharecroppers. He acts with pointless cruelty and harbors deep-seated racist beliefs, insisting that Black men are biologically incapable of flying planes. He uses his position of power to humiliate those he views as inferior for his own amusement.

Teddy is Jefferson's son, a local boy who assists his father after Todd's plane crashes. He attempts to find practical solutions for transporting the injured pilot, suggesting the use of an ox team, and eventually leaves to seek help from the local landowner.

Todd's girlfriend is a young woman who writes letters to Todd during his flight training. She urges him to use good judgment and warns him against risking his life merely to satisfy the expectations of a racist society. Her written words frequently occupy Todd's thoughts, prompting him to question his core motivations for flying.

Rudolph is Dabney Graves's cousin. He struggles with severe mental instability, to the point that acquaintances fear he might harm someone, prompting Graves to procure a straitjacket for him.