This articleneeds additional citations forverification.(September 2019) |
The examples and perspective in thisdeal primarily with the United Kingdom and do not represent aworldwide viewof the subject.(February 2024) |
Flying officer(Fg OfforF/O) is ajunior officerrank used by some air forces, with origins from theRoyal Air Force.[1]The rank is used by air forces of manycountries that have historical British influence.
Flying officer is immediately senior topilot officerand immediately belowflight lieutenant.It is usually equivalent to the rank ofsub-lieutenantin the navy and of the rank oflieutenantin other services.
The equivalent rank in theWomen's Auxiliary Air Forcewas "section officer".
Canada
editThe rank was used in theRoyal Canadian Air Forceuntil the 1968unification of the Canadian Forces,when army-type rank titles were adopted. Canadian flying officers then becamelieutenants.In officialCanadian Frenchusage, the rank title waslieutenant d'aviation.[2]
United Kingdom
edit| Flying officer | |
|---|---|
 Shoulder and sleeve insignia | |
| Country |  United Kingdom |
| Service branch |  Royal Air Force |
| Abbreviation | Fg Off /FLGOFF/FGOFF |
| NATOrank code | OF-1 |
| Formation | August 1919 |
| Next higher rank | Flight lieutenant |
| Next lower rank | Pilot officer |
| Equivalent ranks | |
| Related articles | |
| History | Royal Naval Air Service |
Origins
editThe term "flying officer" was originally used in theRoyal Flying Corpsas a flying appointment for junior officers, not a rank.
On 1 April 1918, the newly created RAF adopted its officer rank titles from theBritish Army,withRoyal Naval Air Servicesub-lieutenants (entitled flight sub-lieutenants) andRoyal Flying Corpslieutenants becoming lieutenants in the RAF. However, with the creation of the RAF's own rank structure in August 1919, RAF lieutenants were re-titled flying officers,[3]a rank which has been in continuous use ever since.
Usage
editThe rank title does not imply that an officer in the rank of flying officer flies. Some flying officers are aircrew, but many are ground branch officers. Amongst the ground branches some flying officers have command offlights.
In the RAF, aircrew and engineer officers are commissioned directly into the rank of flying officer, while ground branches are commissioned aspilot officersfor an initial period of six months. Time served in the rank of flying officer varies depending on branch before automatic promotion toflight lieutenant;aircrew andBEngqualified officers will serve for a period of 2½ years,MEngqualified engineers for 1½ years, and all other ground branches for 3½ years. A graduate entrant who has an MEng but is joining a ground branch other than engineer will serve 3½ years as a flying officer – the early promotion for MEng engineers is designed as a recruitment incentive. The starting salary for a flying officer is £30,616.80 per year.[4]
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 pilot in training, an adjutant, a security officer or an administrative officer and is typically given charge of personnel and/or resources. By the time aviators have completed their training, they will have served their 2½ years and typically join their frontline squadrons as flight lieutenants.
Insignia
editThe 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 theflying suitor 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.
-
An RAF flying officer's shoulder insignia -
An RAF flying officer's sleeve mess insignia -
An RAF flying officer's sleeve on No.1 dress uniform
Gallery
edit![(Ghana Air Force)[7]](/translate/en.m.wikipedia.org?u=https%3A%2F%2Fen.m.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FFile%3A08.Ghana_Air_Force-1LT.svg&t=hv){kind=small}
![(Namibian Air Force)[9]](/translate/en.m.wikipedia.org?u=https%3A%2F%2Fen.m.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FFile%3A08-Namibia_Air_Force-FLGOFF.svg&t=hv)
![(Nigerian Air Force)[10]](/translate/en.m.wikipedia.org?u=https%3A%2F%2Fen.m.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FFile%3ANigeria-AirForce-OF-1b.svg&t=hv)
![(Trinidad and Tobago Air Guard)[13]](/translate/en.m.wikipedia.org?u=https%3A%2F%2Fen.m.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FFile%3ATaT-Air_Guard-OF-1b.png&t=hv)
See also
edit
References
edit- ^"Ranks and Badges of the Royal Air Force".Royal Air Force.2007. Archived fromthe originalon 9 July 2011.Retrieved1 December2007.
- ^"The RCAF".www.castlearchdale.net.Archived fromthe originalon 3 June 2009.Retrieved22 May2022.
- ^Hobart, Malcolm C (2000).Badges and Uniforms of the Royal Air Force.Leo Cooper. p. 26.ISBN0-85052-739-2.
- ^"Rates of Pay, 2015"(PDF).raf.mod.uk.Archived(PDF)from the original on 21 September 2015.Retrieved1 April2016.
- ^"Badges of rank"(PDF).defence.gov.au.Department of Defence (Australia).Retrieved31 May2021.
- ^"OFFICER'S RANKS".joinbangladeshairforce.mil.bd.Archived fromthe originalon 19 February 2020.Retrieved11 October2020.
- ^"Rank Structure".gafonline.mil.gh.Ghana Air Force. 2018. Archived fromthe originalon 21 January 2018.Retrieved3 March2024.
- ^"For Officers".careerairforce.nic.in.Indian Air Force. Archived fromthe originalon 25 February 2012.Retrieved23 September2021.
- ^"Government Notice"(PDF).Government Gazette of the Republic of Namibia.Vol. 4547. 20 August 2010. pp. 99–102.Retrieved20 December2021.
- ^Smaldone, Joseph P. (1992). "National Security". InMetz, Helen Chapin(ed.).Nigeria: a country study.Area Handbook (5th ed.). Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress. pp. 296–297.LCCN92009026.Retrieved21 October2021.
- ^"Commissioned Officers".airforce.lk.Sri Lanka Air Force.Retrieved24 September2021.
- ^"RAF Ranks".raf.mod.uk/.Royal Air Force.Retrieved21 September2021.
- ^"Rank Chart (Commissioned Officers)".69.0.195.188.Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force.Retrieved27 May2021.[permanent dead link]