Carnival stunt pilot Jinx Roberts upsets his employer, Gonigle, because his stunt shows are so long and popular that the sideshows aren't making enough money. Jinx's two pals, Blackie Benson and Heathcliff, also run afoul of Gonigle, and all three are soon fired. Jinx has already gotten a new job, however, as he is about to begin training at the CAL-AERO flight school, in order to become a flyer in the U.S. Army Air Corps. The three celebrate Jinx's good fortune by going to The Manila nightclub, where the flyer immediately falls for singer Linda Joyce. Jinx learns that Linda has joined the USO and will be stationed at the flight school, as her brother Jim is an air cadet there. Blackie and Heathcliff follow Jinx to CAL-AERO and beg for a chance to serve their country. The two are hired to work as members of the ground crew. Jinx's showboating style doesn't suit the Army, and his training is further complicated when Craig Morrison, an old enemy and a rival for Linda's affections, is made his flight instructor. As the training progresses, Jim, who is now Jinx's roommate, becomes the only student unable to solo, as he is haunted by the death of his famous aviator father. Blackie and Heathcliff's lives also become complicated, when they fall for twin sisters, camp hostesses Barbara and Gloria Phelps. Neither man knows the women are twins until they both meet each other's date at a carnival. Back at the base, Craig gives his performance reports to Major Barstow, citing both Jinx and Jim as problems. Craig tells the major that Jinx was fired as a commercial pilot for ignoring orders, and has always falsely blamed Craig, his co-pilot, for turning him in. Against Craig's advice, Barstow grounds Jinx, and the pilot once again mistakenly blames his old friend for his plight. Back in their room, both Jim and Jinx decide to quit CAL-AERO. They leave in Jinx's plane, but the pilot, seeing a chance to help Jim overcome his phobia, parachutes out, forcing Jim to solo. Unfortunately, the plane's throttle sticks and Jim panics. Over the radio, Craig orders Jim to parachute out, but Jinx knocks Craig unconscious and helps Jim crash land the plane, telling him that "any landing you can walk away from is a good one." Afterward, Jinx is falsely accused of abandoning the plane because of the defective throttle, and is told that he will be arrested if Jim has been seriously hurt. Meanwhile, Blackie has been teaching Heathcliff how to fly in an old, engineless plane. During their final lesson, however, they discover that the engine has been replaced with a working model, which leads to another crash landing. Graduation day arrives at CAL-AERO, and Jinx, Blackie and Heathcliff prepare to leave the flight school in disgrace. During a parachute demonstration, however, Craig's parachute becomes caught in his plane's fuselage. Jinx immediately takes off in his plane and saves Craig by lowering him onto his plane. Back at the base, Jinx is congratulated by all, including Linda, and is reinstated into the Army Air Corps by Barstow. Meanwhile, Blackie and Heathcliff's chase plane develops engine trouble, and they are forced to parachute as well. Heathcliff lands on Blackie's parachute, tearing it, and the two are forced to land using only Blackie's parachute. Back on the ground, Blackie promises never to go flying again, but the wind from another plane inflates his parachute, and he is whisked into the air.
