Recruits began their air force career with a four week posting to a Manning Depot for Basic Training, where they learned the basics of military life. Recruits then started pre-flight training on a LINKS flight simulator. If they successfully completed 4 weeks of ground training they graduated to Elementary Flying School. Here they learned how to fly basic and very stable aircraft - the Fleet Finch or the Tiger Moth.

From here, the top graduates moved on to 7 weeks of Service Flying School and 5 weeks of Advanced training in higher performance single-engine aircraft. They would become fighter pilots. The other Elementary Flying School graduates progressed to 12 weeks of Service Flying School and Advanced training in twin-engine craft to prepare them for their future as bomber pilots. The ITS and EFS wash-outs left the flight training program and started training as aircrew - navigators, bombardiers, wireless operators and air gunners.

Successful pilot trainees received their "wings" and then were sent to England for 25 hours of Overseas Pilot Training before starting combat missions.

Here is a wartime film clip about the training program:

Training Air Pilots In Canada (1941) 0:53