Flying Officer

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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 countries which have historical British influence. It is also sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries which have a non-English air force-specific rank structure. In these cases a Flying Officer usually ranks above Pilot Officer and immediately 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.

Contents 1 Origins 2 Usage 3 Insignia 4 Other air forces 5 See also 6 References

[edit] Origins

The term "Flying Officer" was originally used in the Royal Flying Corps as a flying appointment for junior officers, not a rank.

On 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.

Common military ranks
Navies1	Armies2	Air Forces3
Admiral of the Fleet	Field Marshal	Marshal of the Air Force
Admiral	General	Air Chief Marshal
Vice Admiral	Lt. General	Air Marshal
Rear Admiral	Major General	Air Vice-Marshal
Commodore	Brigadier	Air Commodore
Captain	Colonel	Group Captain
Commander	Lt. Colonel	Wing Commander
Lt. Commander	Major	Squadron Leader
Lieutenant	Captain	Flight Lieutenant
Sub-Lieutenant	Lieutenant	Flying Officer
Warrant Officer	Sergeant Major	Warrant Officer
Petty Officer	Sergeant	Sergeant
Leading Rate	Corporal	Corporal
Seaman	Private	Aircraftman
1 in the English-speaking world          2 also some Air Forces 3 In many Commonwealth countries

[edit] Usage

In many cases the rank of flying officer is the first rank an air force officer holds after successful completion of his professional training. A flying officer might serve as a squadron pilot, an adjutant, a security officer or an adminstrative officer and is typically given charge of personnel and/or resources.

The 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.

[edit] Insignia

The 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.

[edit] Other air forces

The 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.

[edit] See also

• RAF officer ranks
• Comparative military ranks

[edit] References

v • d • e Commissioned Officer ranks of the British Armed Forces
	Student Officer	OF(D)	OF-1		OF-2	OF-3	OF-4	OF-5	OF-6	OF-7	OF-8	OF-9	OF-10
Royal Navy	O Cdt	Mid	SLt		Lt	Lt Cdr	Cdr	Capt	Cdre	RAdm	VAdm	Adm	Adm of the Fleet
Royal Marines			2Lt	Lt	Capt	Maj	Lt Col	Col	Brig	Maj-Gen	Lt Gen	Gen
Army	O Cdt		2Lt	Lt	Capt	Maj	Lt Col	Col	Brig	Maj-Gen	Lt Gen	Gen	FM
Royal Air Force	OC		APO / Plt Off	Fg Off	Flt Lt	Sqn Ldr	Wg Cdr	Gp Capt	Air Cdre	AVM	Air Mshl	Air Chf Mshl	MRAF