British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP): A large-scale program initiated during World War II by the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand to train aircrew for the Allied war effort. Launched in 1939, the BCATP established extensive training facilities primarily in Canada, leveraging its vast, safe airspace away from enemy threats. The program trained pilots, navigators, bomb aimers, gunners, and other aircrew who went on to serve in various theaters of the war. Often referred to as “The Plan,” the BCATP was a critical component of the Allied victory, producing over 130,000 trained personnel and earning Canada the nickname “The Aerodrome of Democracy.” Many airfields, aircraft, and training sites from the BCATP era remain part of Canada’s aviation heritage and are of interest to historians and aviation enthusiasts.
