After being interviewed by the British Resident at the Residency House (now Rashtrapati Nilayam) in Bolarum, Latif was selected to join the Indian Air Force volunteer Reserve (IAFVR). He was sent to the Madras Flying Club to complete 25 hours of flying on the de Havilland Tiger Moth. He was then trained at the Initial Training Wing at Walton, Lahore and at the No.1 Elementary Flying Training School (EFTS) at Begumpet. Subsequently, he attended the Advanced Flying School at Ambala where he flew the Hawker Hart and Audax.