Flying Officer
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Categories: Military ranks of the Commonwealth | Military ranks of Australia | Military ranks of Canada | Military ranks of India | Military ranks of the Royal Air Force | Air force ranks | Military ranks of Pakistan
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Image:UK-Air-OF1A.svg
A Flying Officer's sleeve/shoulder insignia
Flying Officer (Fg Off in the RAF; FLGOFF in the RAAF; FGOFF in the RNZAF; F/O in the former RCAF and frequently in the RAF) is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force[1] and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. It ranks above Pilot Officer and immediately below Flight Lieutenant. It has a NATO ranking code of OF-1 and is equivalent to a Lieutenant in the British Army or the Royal Marines. However, it is considered superior to the nearest equivalent rank of Sub-Lieutenant in the Royal Navy. The equivalent rank in the Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) was Section Officer.
OriginsOn 1 April 1918, the newly created RAF adopted its officer rank titles from the British Army, with Royal Naval Air Service Sub-Lieutenants (titled Flight Sub-Lieutenants) and Royal Flying Corps Lieutenants becoming Lieutenants in the RAF. However, with the creation of the RAF's own rank structure on 1 August 1919, RAF Lieutenants were re-titled as Flying Officers, a rank which has been in continuous use ever since.
UsageThe rank title does not imply that an officer in the rank of Flying Officer flies an aircraft. Some Flying Officers are aircrew, but many are ground branch officers. Amongst the ground branches some flying officers have command of flights. InsigniaThe rank insignia consists of one narrow blue band on slightly wider black band. This is worn on both the lower sleeves of the tunic or on the shoulders of the flying suit or the casual uniform. The rank insignia on the mess uniform is similar to the naval pattern, being one band of gold running around each cuff but without the Royal Navy's loop. Other air forcesThe rank of Flying Officer is also used in a number of the air forces in the Commonwealth, including the Bangladesh Air Force, Indian Air Force (IAF), Pakistan Air Force (PAF), Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) and Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF). The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) used the rank until unification of the three armed services into the Canadian Forces in 1968 and army-type ranks were adopted. RCAF personnel holding this rank then switched to the rank of Lieutenant. The rank of Warrant Flying Officer was also used by the air service of the Imperial Japanese military. See alsoReferences
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