List of British Commonwealth Air Training Plan facilities in Australia


This is a List of facilities of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan in Australia, a major program for training Royal Australian Air Force air crews during World War II for service with the Royal Air Force. Agreed in December 1939, the program was known in Australia as the Empire Air Training Scheme. The first Australian training schools were established the following year. Course duration and content evolved over time but the basic structure of the scheme remained the same for the duration of the war. Over 52,000 personnel enlisted in the RAAF as aircrew and some 37,000 graduated from EATS schools.

Facilities

Central Flying School

Formed in 1940, Central Flying School was responsible for training flying instructors and was located initially at Point Cook, Victoria. It soon relocated to Camden, New South Wales, then to Tamworth, New South Wales, in 1942 and Parkes, New South Wales, in 1944.

Initial Training Schools

Recruits started their training at an Initial Training School to learn the basics of Air Force life. The course ran 14 weeks for prospective pilots, 12 weeks for air observers, and 8 weeks for air gunners.
The Elementary Flying Training School course lasted 12 weeks and gave recruits up to 75 hours of basic aviation instruction on a simple trainer like the Tiger Moth. Pilots who showed promise went on to advanced training at a Service Flying Training School. Others went on to different specialty schools, such as Wireless Schools, Air Observer Schools or Bombing and Gunnery Schools.
The Service Flying Training School course ran for 24 weeks and provided advanced training for pilots on single- and multi-engined aircraft, closer in performance to the types they would eventually fly as operational or "service" pilots. Prospective fighter pilots underwent air gunnery instruction at the SFTS, while bomber pilots undertook two weeks instruction at a Bombing and Gunnery School.
The General Reconnaissance School was formed at Point Cook, Victoria, in 1940. It subsequently relocated to Laverton, Victoria, then Cressy, Victoria, and finally Bairnsdale, Victoria.