No. 3 Elementary Flying Training School RAAF

No. 3 Elementary Flying Training School RAAF
RAAF officers attending No. 3 Elementary Flying Training School at Essendon, Victoria, 1941
Active	1940–42
Country	Australia
Branch	Royal Australian Air Force
Role	Introductory flying training
Part of	Southern Area Command
Garrison/HQ	Essendon, Victoria
Engagements	World War II
Commanders
Notable commanders	Roy King (1940)
Aircraft flown
Trainer	Tiger Moth Gipsy Moth Wackett Trainer

No. 3 Elementary Flying Training School (No. 3 EFTS) was a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) pilot training unit that operated during World War II. It was one of twelve elementary flying training schools employed by the RAAF to provide introductory flight instruction to new pilots as part of Australia's contribution to the Empire Air Training Scheme. No. 3 EFTS was established in January 1940 at Essendon, Victoria, and initially included a significant proportion of civilian staff and private aircraft; by mid-year these had been largely integrated into the military. The school was disbanded in May 1942, its aircraft and instructional staff having been transferred to No. 11 Elementary Flying School at Benalla.

Flying instruction in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) underwent major changes following the outbreak of World War II, in response to a vast increase in the number of aircrew volunteers and the commencement of Australia's participation in the Empire Air Training Scheme (EATS). The Air Force's pre-war pilot training facility, No. 1 Flying Training School at RAAF Station Point Cook, Victoria, was supplanted in 1940–41 by twelve elementary flying training schools (EFTS) and eight service flying training schools (SFTS). The EFTS provided a twelve-week introductory flying course to personnel who had graduated from one of the RAAF's initial training schools. Flying training was undertaken in two stages: the first involved four weeks of instruction (including ten hours of flying), which were used to determine trainees' suitability to become pilots. Those that passed this grading process then received a further eight weeks of training (including 65 hours of flying) at the EFTS. Pilots who successfully completed this course were posted to an SFTS in either Australia or Canada for the next stage of their instruction as military aviators.

No. 3 Elementary Flying Training School (No. 3 EFTS) was formed at Essendon, Victoria, on 2 January 1940, and came under the control of Southern Area Command. Its inaugural commanding officer was Squadron Leader Roy King, a fighter ace credited with 26 victories in the Australian Flying Corps during World War I.Essendon aerodrome had been established in 1921, and was home to several private aviation clubs and schools including the Royal Victorian Aero Club, ANA Flying School, and Victoria & Interstate Airways Ltd. It was the airfield's position as the hub of civilian flight instruction in Victoria that led to it becoming the base for the third flying school the RAAF raised during World War II. The same principle was followed in establishing No. 1 EFTS at Parafield, South Australia, No. 2 EFTS at Archerfield, Queensland, and No. 4 EFTS at Mascot, New South Wales.