December 17th the 70th Anniversary of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan
Thursday December 17, 2009
Thomas Hinderks

What was the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan?

British Commonwealth Air Training Plan was a massive air-training program involving the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Southern Rhodesia during the Second World War. Canada, trained 130,000, more than all other participants combined. The plan remains the single largest aviation training program in history and was responsible for training pilots, navigators, bomb aimers, gunners, wireless operators and flight engineers of the Commonwealth air forces during the Second World War…Students from many other countries attended schools under the plan, including Argentina, Belgium, Ceylon, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Finland, Fiji, France, Greece, Holland, Norway, Poland, South Africa and the United States.

The British Air Ministry set up the massive training program after participating countries signed an agreement in December 1939. Britain was an unsuitable location for air training, due to the possibility of enemy attack, the strain caused by wartime traffic at airfields and the unpredictable climate, so the plan called for the Dominions to train the majority of personnel.

Canada was chosen as the primary location for "The Plan" due to ample supplies of fuel, wide open spaces suitable for flight and navigation training, industrial facilities for the production of trainer aircraft, parts and supplies, the lack of any threat from enemy forces.

Due to its prominence in the plan, United States President Roosevelt referred to Canada as "the Aerodrome of Democracy". At its height, The Plan included 231 training sites and more than 10,000 aircraft and 100,000 military administrative personnel. Over 167,000 students, including over 50,000 pilots, trained in Canada under the program from May 1940 to March 1945.

While the majority of those who successfully completed the program went on to serve in the RAF, over half (72,835) of the 131,553 graduates were Canadians.

When you add in the ground crews, fitters, armourers, and all the others trained through the program it becomes literally hundreds of thousands.

Why is it important today?

The BCATP program introduced the world to Canada with participants coming from almost every continent, many marrying Canadians and returning, adding to our culture. The Plan acted as a major component in the industrialization of Western Canada with the construction of the massive bases and hundreds of airfields as well as the support systems and factories needed to maintain and build the aircraft and other equipment.

After the Second World War the airports, buildings and surplus equipment became the affordable basis for new industry and many of the buildings across Western Canada are still in use today.

In short…The British Commonwealth Air Training Plan forever changed the face of Canada and how the rest of the world perceived Canada.

Particularly Canada’s Prairie Provinces bringing industry and driving the economy, including tourism ever since.

Why is it important to celebrate and showcase today?

Today the accomplishments and effects of the BCATP are still something to celebrate.

The program was a massive non combat contribution to the Second World War effort that continued to have positive effects on air travel for decades after.

The program opened the eyes of the world, first hand, to how wonderful Canada was and inspired immigration for decades. This also diversified our cultural base and helped grow the Canadian population.

The massive construction projects and industrial build up to support the program helped pull Canada quickly out of the depression era of the 1930’s. these same projects spurred the growth of many communities across Canada and opened the door to many economic opportunities that continue through today.

The program continues to benefit Tourism today as many veterans and their families return to visit the places of their youth and in many cases where they met their spouses.

It is an opportunity for Canadians to be proud of a massive accomplishment in the creation and operation of a program that did so much to help bring an allied victory in the second world war and create all of the benefits listed. Canada can be proud of a peaceful contribution that did so much to end the greatest conflict of the 20th Century.

The BCATP was a major factor in development of Edmonton as a centre of aviation. #2Air Observers School, commanded by none other than the famous bush pilot W.R. (WOP)May, trained tens of thousands of personnel in the hangar that now houses the Alberta Aviation Museum.

#16 Elementary Flight Training School was operated by the Edmonton Flying Club on Edmonton’s airport and added many more to the total number.

The improvements to the airport and the wartime buildings constructed made possible Edmonton becoming the “Cross roads of the World” for the airline industry for some years after World War Two.

Even today the last three remaining World War Two hangars on Edmonton City Centre Airport house not just the Alberta Aviation Museum but a number of other businesses.

The BCATP still contributes to Edmonton’s economy with visitors from across the Commonwealth returning to view the place that gave them wings and show their families where many first flights began.

The Alberta Aviation Museum celebrates this Thursday with the unveiling of a new exhibit that uses conventional, digital and computer interactives to bring this important part of Edmonton’s history to life.

-- Thomas Hinderks
Executive Director
Alberta Aviation Museum

Column ID#: 123

**Opinions expressed by guest columnists do not necessarily reflect the views of Connect2Edmonton members, partners or sponsors.**

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