▁Se ym our ▁advoc ated ▁for ▁the ▁pla cement ▁of ▁an ▁Element ary ▁F lying ▁Training ▁School ▁( E . F . T . S .) ▁at ▁St . ▁C ath ar ines ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁British ▁Commonwealth ▁Air ▁Training ▁Plan . ▁This ▁goal ▁was ▁realized ▁on ▁ 1 2 ▁August ▁ 1 9 4 0 ▁when ▁the ▁Royal ▁Canadian ▁Air ▁Force ▁Head quarters ▁announced ▁the ▁creation ▁of ▁No . ▁ 9 ▁E . F . T . S . ▁to ▁be ▁located ▁at ▁St . ▁C ath ar ines . ▁The ▁school ▁was ▁set ▁to ▁open ▁on ▁ 1 5 ▁March ▁ 1 9 4 1 ▁with ▁an ▁initial ▁int ake ▁of ▁ 2 4 ▁students . ▁Short ly ▁there after , ▁an ▁order ▁was ▁received ▁from ▁Ott awa ▁announ cing ▁that ▁the ▁new ▁opening ▁date ▁was ▁to ▁be ▁ 1 5 ▁October ▁ 1 9 4 0 ▁and ▁that ▁the ▁school ▁was ▁expected ▁to ▁accept ▁ 2 8 ▁students . ▁ ▁One ▁of ▁the ▁challeng es ▁faced ▁by ▁the ▁S . C . F . C . ▁was ▁soft ▁field ▁conditions . ▁To ▁counter ▁this , ▁construction ▁of ▁new ▁run ways ▁began ▁in ▁May ▁ 1 9 4 1 , ▁which ▁helped ▁to ▁ensure ▁the ▁perman ency ▁of ▁the ▁St . ▁C ath ar ines ▁air port . ▁ ▁No . ▁ 9 ▁E . F . T . S . ▁was ▁formally ▁dis band ed ▁on ▁ 1 4 ▁January ▁ 1 9 4 4 . ▁When ▁the ▁school