In about 1940, the United States was planning a buildup in Army Air Force (AAF) strength. The number of airplanes produced was to be increased to around 50,000, but the AAF s flying school in Texas could only graduate 500 pilots a year, and most of the current AAF pilots did not have enough flying hours to be instructors. To produce more pilots, the commanding general of the AAF, Henry Arnold, devised a plan for primary contract flying schools located in local communities.