Dr. Louis Faraday

Dr. Faraday is the main antagonist in the movie Flight of the Navigator.

Background
Dr. Faraday is the lead NASA scientist at the main NASA base.

Role in the Film.
After Max (the ship) crashed into the electrical towers, Dr. Faraday arrived at the scene of the incident after being notified by the police. He then captures the ship and transfers it to a hanger at the NASA base. He tires to figure out a way to get inside the ship, but doesn't have any luck. After receiving a printout with an image of the ship, which happens to be the same one in David's thoughts, he encounters David and his family as they are preparing to depart the hospital. He talks David into coming to the base for only 48 hours to help him discover the truth about where he's been for the last 8 years and to solve the mystery of what happened to David. Then David accepts his offer and goes with Dr. Faraday to the base and puts David into a room for him to stay in during his visit.

The next day, Dr. Faraday and David are in his office having a meeting on the phone with David's family. He's reminded by Mrs. Helen Freeman that David has to be back in 48 hours and he acknowldges his promise.

In a section of the facility, David is wired up to a computer and is asked several questions about what happened on the night of his fall, his brain reveals strange alien data and star charts leading to a strange planet called Phaelon, 560 light-years away from Earth. He was taken away to the planet and was travelling there beyond the speed of light leaving him only 4.4 hours on Phaelon while eight years passed on Earth which is the reason why he never aged. It is all too much for David, especially when the computers show answers to things he never even said. He frees himself from the equipment and runs off. Faraday decides that 48 hours is not going to be enough time to get the information he needs and puts David down for a whole week.

After David escapes from the base, Faraday then does everything he can to try to bring David back. He watches over the radar to track down the ship, which David has boarded to escape. First, he sends out NASA helicopters to catch David and the ship, but that failed. After learning that Carolyn contacted David's parents about his departure from the base, Faraday orders the Freeman's under house arrest while NASA continues to search for David.

When David is heading back home, Faraday and NASA both head to his house and await his arrival. After David sees Faraday and the NASA people waiting for him, he decides that he doesn't belong in 1986 and departs to head back to his own time, therefore getting away from Dr. Faraday and NASA.