Headlam completed a flying instructors course in July 1936 and joined the staff of No. 1 FTS . He was promoted to flight lieutenant on 1 March 1937 . Commencing in July 1938 , he was one of six students to take part in the RAAF 's first Long Specialist Navigation Course , run by Flight Lieutenants Bill Garing and Alister Murdoch at Point Cook . The course involved several epic training flights that attracted considerable media attention , including a twelve @-@ day , 10 @,@ 800 @-@ kilometre ( 6 @,@ 700 mi ) round @-@ Australia trip by three Avro Ansons , one of which was piloted by Headlam , in November . The following month , Headlam led the three Ansons on a six @-@ day journey back and forth over Central Australia . He subsequently passed the navigation course with a special distinction . On 27 January 1939 he was posted to RAAF Station Laverton , Victoria , as a flight commander . He served initially with No. 2 Squadron , before transferring to No. 1 Squadron on 29 August . Both units operated Ansons .