[1] The film stars Randolph Scott, Preston Foster, Margaret Lindsay, Mary Healy, Robert Shaw, George Ernest, Jane Darwell, Kane Richmond and Maxie Rosenbloom.

On a flight from Salt Lake City to Los Angeles, his aircraft hits a thick bank of fog.

Reynolds and his co-pilot, Al Williams, are told by their dispatcher to re-route to Saugus, California, but Brad safely lands in Los Angeles, anyway.

Meanwhile, the CAA begins a Civilian Pilot Training Program at selected universities, with local airports being used.

Skip, unable to get his sister's permission to fly, becomes Tommy's roommate, and arranges a meeting between Brad and Ann.

Jim thinks that Brad is unfair to his brother, but during one of Tommy's secret lessons, the aircraft's oil line breaks.

[7][8] The aircraft used in 20,000 Men a Year were provided by stunt pilot Paul Mantz, who acted as the "air boss" and coordinated aerial photography.

[9] Film reviewer for The New York Times, Frank Nugent, described 20,000 Men a Year as "Never more than a sleeper jump behind the times, the screen has hurried around to the Roxy with a melodramatic salute to the aviation training program instituted not so long ago by the Civil Aeronautics Authority.

'20,000 Men a Year', which is a statistical reference to the number of civil pilots the CAA hopes to be turning out ..."[10]