Due to a shortage of pilots, observers, wireless operators and gunners, the Dominions of the Commonwealth agreed to establish a co-ordinate scheme to train 28,000 air crew each year to help England fight the war in Europe. It was known as the Empire Air Training Scheme (EATS). The Dominions would supply the trained aircrew and the mother country would provide the aircraft.

Minister for Air, J.V. Fairbairn and Assistant Chief of the Air Staff, Wing Commander George Jones attended a meeting in Ottawa, Canada in 1939 to finalise the arrangements for the Empire Air Training Scheme. Fifty flying schools were established. Each of the Dominions would carry out their own Elementary Flying Training and the advanced Service Training would be mostly conducted in Canada due to its proximity to British aircraft factories and the war in Europe. The Dominions would generally have first choice of their graduates but the great majority were expected to fight in Europe for the Royal Air Force.

Australia signed two agreements on 17 December 1939, one with the UK regarding carrying out training in Australia and the second was between, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the UK regarding training in Canada. The two agreements were set to expire on 31 March 1943, but were both renegotiated and extended.

Under the scheme, the UK was to recruit and train four-ninths of the RAF's annual aircrew requirements. The remaining five-ninths was to be apportioned across the Dominions as follows:-

• Australia 36%
• Canada 56%
• New Zealand 8%

The Royal Australian Air Force trained 27,899 men through the Empire Air Training Scheme. Prior to the scheme the RAAF had trained about 50 pilots per year. Seven-ninths of the RAAF's intake were trained in Australia (all Elementary and some Advanced) with the remaining two-ninths trained in Canada (Advanced). The RAAF had to provide airfields, aircraft, instructors etc to allow this all to happen. 

Schools established included:-

• Air Observers Schools (AOS)
• Air Navigation Schools (ANS)
• Bombing and Gunnery Schools (BAGS)
• Elementary Flying Training Schools (EFTS)
• Initial Training Schools (ITS)
• Service Flying Training Schools (SFTS)
• Wireless Air Gunners School (WAGS)
• Air Gunnery School (AGS)
• Central Gunnery School (CGS)
• Armament Training Station (ATS)
• Central Flying School (CFS)
• General Reconnaissance School (GRS)
• Operational Training Units (OTU)
• Operational Conversion Unit (OCU)

Some of the EATS Units are as follows:-