The British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP) was the RCAF's paramount undertaking on the home front in World War II. Without substantial numbers of available, trained aircrew and ground crew, the Allies could not have wielded the massive air power they did in the successful struggle to defeat the enemy.

The BCATP's purpose was to produce a large, steady output of aircrew for the war in Europe. The Plan trained 131,553 aircrew for the Commonwealth and Allied Air Forces. Of these, 72,835 were RCAF pilots, navigators, air bombers, air gunners, flight engineers and wireless operator/air gunners. This airfield (Mount Hope) served at one time as an Elementary Flying Training School.