The two-seater biplane was a very effective trainer because the 504 had many of the attributes of single-seater fighter aircraft, which were difficult for the novice pilot to learn.

The Avro 504 had a skid that was attached to the middle of its landing gear. This skid projected forward to keep the aircraft from nosing forward during landing, a necessary safety feature for many pilot trainees.

These planes continued to be the main trainers for the Royal Air Force (RAF) into the 1920s. When the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) came into being in 1920, the Avro 504K and its successors were made the main-line trainers for the air force until 1928. Thirty Avro aircraft were sent to Canada as part of an Imperial gift from Britain after the war.