648:
of "air mechanic", "private" and "clerk" that had been introduced under Air
Memorandum No. 1 in March 1918. There were three grades: leading aircraftman (LAC), aircraftman 1st class (AC1) and aircraftman 2nd class. A similar grading existed for junior ratings in the Royal Navy. The rank of
1016:
700:
in spring 2015 when the RCAF changed the colour of its rank insignia from gold to pearl grey. It is the lowest rank in the RCAF. Prior to 1968 the rank of aircraftman was used in the RCAF as in other
Commonwealth air forces. In August 2020, the rank was changed to aviator.
1027:
914:
A dictionary of slang and unconventional
English : colloquialisms and catch phrases, fossilised jokes and puns, general nicknames, vulgarisms and such Americanisms as have been naturalised
628:
rank code of OR-1. For some time in the RAF it had been a training rank only and no airmen in productive service held the rank. Aircraftmen do not wear any rank insignia. The rank was renamed
656:
The lowest grade was an AC2; also colloquially known as an "AC plonk". With effect from 1 April 1964, the gradings of AC1 and AC2 were abolished, with "aircraftman" becoming the entry rank.
792:
1461:
823:
The spellings "aircraftsman" and "aircraftswoman", despite being occasionally seen even in official documents, are incorrect in any air force.
965:
1446:
1125:
1456:
581:
882:
946:
1451:
953:
Air
Ministry Order A.80/1963 of 6 March 1963 replaced the AC1 and AC2 with just 'Aircraftman' with effect from 1 April 1964
24:
921:
1413:
1348:
1343:
1296:
1291:
1250:
1245:
799:
1118:
1077:
1376:
746:
In 2023 the RNZAF adopted the title of ‘aviator(s)’ rather than airman when describing Air Force personnel.
574:
736:
1240:
1111:
665:
1103:
840:
710:
329:
1266:
1466:
739:, the rank is known as "aircraftman", regardless of the person's sex, in line with "seaman" in the
689:
396:
91:
1052:
845:
614:
567:
867:
740:
300:
1381:
1333:
1318:
1313:
1271:
853:
755:
1235:
1138:
677:
277:
86:
8:
1367:
621:
504:
420:
1371:
1222:
767:
650:
499:
239:
158:
134:
129:
890:
942:
917:
494:
465:
355:
350:
310:
305:
268:
187:
120:
1401:
489:
319:
273:
197:
192:
173:
1396:
1391:
1328:
1323:
1281:
1276:
1406:
1356:
1338:
1286:
1164:
645:
610:
425:
415:
405:
284:
244:
223:
168:
105:
100:
1418:
1230:
697:
528:
518:
509:
484:
470:
410:
341:
336:
291:
254:
209:
939:
Observers and
Navigators: And Other Non-Pilot Aircrew in the RFC, RNAS and RAF
533:
1440:
1258:
538:
523:
451:
439:
384:
379:
370:
360:
230:
202:
153:
77:
1385:
1304:
389:
263:
163:
139:
110:
68:
1017:"A Return to the Royal Canadian Air Force Ranks; a Historical Examination"
1134:
144:
1213:
1133:
834:
365:
324:
1085:
990:
249:
182:
617:
countries. In RAF slang, aircraftmen were sometimes called "erks".
475:
460:
444:
434:
644:
The rank was introduced to the RAF in
January 1919, replacing the
218:
115:
81:
772:
548:
613:(RAF) and is still in use by the air forces of several other
1160:
625:
833:
1438:
692:, the rank is also known by the French term of
966:"Air Force Ranks – Royal Australian Air Force"
883:"Royal Navy Branches, Ranks and Ratings, 1918"
668:also uses both aircraftman and aircraftwoman.
609:) was formerly the lowest rank in the British
1119:
1084:. Air Force of Zimbabwe. 2020. Archived from
832:
575:
916:(8 ed.). London: Routledge. p. 1.
930:
1126:
1112:
582:
568:
16:Lowest rank in the British Royal Air Force
911:
870:. RAF News. No. 1540. 15 July 2022.
717:Leading aircraftman (laskar udara kanan)
653:(SAC) was introduced on 1 January 1951.
936:
723:Aircraftman 2nd class (laskar udara II)
636:) in the Royal Air Force in July 2022.
1439:
874:
720:Aircraftman 1st class (laskar udara I)
1462:Military ranks of the Royal Air Force
1107:
941:. London: Grub Street. p. 285.
854:participating institution membership
726:Aircraftman recruit (perajurit muda)
1377:Air specialist (class 1) technician
880:
13:
1447:Military ranks of the Commonwealth
1026:. 2014. p. 12. Archived from
14:
1478:
1457:Former military ranks of Canada
1155:
1070:
1045:
1009:
997:. BAF Communication Unit. 2020
983:
958:
905:
860:
826:
817:
785:
730:
1:
1082:Air Force of Zimbabwe Website
1078:"RANKS AND BADGES IN THE AFZ"
793:"RAF Distinguishing Insignia"
671:
995:Bangladesh Air Force Website
778:
713:has four aircraftman ranks:
659:
292:Junior commissioned officers
210:Senior commissioned officers
7:
1452:Military ranks of Australia
761:
749:
737:Royal New Zealand Air Force
704:
10:
1483:
666:Royal Australian Air Force
639:
69:Flag commissioned officers
25:Comparative military ranks
1145:
868:"Junior Ranks Revolution"
841:Oxford English Dictionary
711:Royal Malaysian Air Force
683:
620:Aircraftman ranked below
515:
481:
457:
450:
431:
402:
397:Non-commissioned officers
395:
376:
347:
316:
297:
290:
260:
236:
215:
208:
179:
150:
126:
97:
74:
67:
34:
1372:Air specialist (class 1)
1368:Air specialist (class 2)
912:Partridge, Eric (2000).
754:The rank is used in the
696:. This was changed from
690:Royal Canadian Air Force
676:The rank is used in the
92:Marshal of the air force
1349:Warrant officer class 1
1344:Warrant officer class 2
1297:Warrant officer class 1
1292:Warrant officer class 2
1251:Warrant officer class 1
1246:Warrant officer class 2
1135:Ratings and other ranks
846:Oxford University Press
937:Jefford, C.G. (2010).
741:Royal New Zealand Navy
1053:"RNZAF – RNZAF Ranks"
756:Air Force of Zimbabwe
61:(Commonwealth system)
1139:British Armed Forces
887:www.pbenyon.plus.com
678:Bangladesh Air Force
87:Admiral of the fleet
1241:Chief petty officer
1057:www.airforce.mil.nz
970:www.airforce.gov.au
844:(Online ed.).
622:leading aircraftman
505:Leading aircraftman
421:chief petty officer
1151:
1033:on 21 January 2022
893:on 24 January 2019
768:RAF enlisted ranks
651:senior aircraftman
240:Lieutenant colonel
224:(Ship-of-the-line)
159:divisional general
135:army corps general
130:Lieutenant general
43:(non-Commonwealth)
1434:
1433:
1429:
1428:
1424:
1423:
948:978-1-909808-02-7
852:(Subscription or
592:
591:
559:
558:
356:junior lieutenant
351:Second lieutenant
311:Flight lieutenant
188:brigadier general
121:Air chief marshal
1474:
1402:Chief technician
1156:
1148:
1147:
1128:
1121:
1114:
1105:
1104:
1098:
1097:
1095:
1093:
1074:
1068:
1067:
1065:
1063:
1049:
1043:
1042:
1040:
1038:
1032:
1021:
1013:
1007:
1006:
1004:
1002:
987:
981:
980:
978:
976:
962:
956:
955:
934:
928:
927:
909:
903:
902:
900:
898:
889:. Archived from
878:
872:
871:
864:
858:
857:
849:
837:
830:
824:
821:
815:
814:
812:
810:
804:
798:. Archived from
797:
789:
584:
577:
570:
490:Lance bombardier
320:First lieutenant
274:Corvette captain
198:flotilla admiral
174:Air vice-marshal
63:
44:
32:
31:
21:
20:
1482:
1481:
1477:
1476:
1475:
1473:
1472:
1471:
1467:Air force ranks
1437:
1436:
1435:
1430:
1425:
1417:
1414:Warrant officer
1407:Flight sergeant
1405:
1375:
1370:
1357:Royal Air Force
1339:Colour sergeant
1337:
1287:Colour sergeant
1227:not applicable
1141:
1132:
1102:
1101:
1091:
1089:
1076:
1075:
1071:
1061:
1059:
1051:
1050:
1046:
1036:
1034:
1030:
1024:rcaf-arc.forces
1019:
1015:
1014:
1010:
1000:
998:
989:
988:
984:
974:
972:
964:
963:
959:
949:
935:
931:
924:
910:
906:
896:
894:
881:Perkins, Dave.
879:
875:
866:
865:
861:
851:
831:
827:
822:
818:
808:
806:
805:on 7 March 2017
802:
795:
791:
790:
786:
781:
764:
752:
733:
707:
686:
674:
662:
642:
611:Royal Air Force
588:
552:
547:
532:
527:
522:
508:
493:
488:
464:
426:Warrant officer
419:
416:Warrant officer
409:
406:Warrant officer
364:
354:
335:
331:
323:
285:Squadron leader
279:
267:
248:
245:Frigate captain
225:
196:
186:
169:Counter admiral
167:
157:
133:
109:
106:colonel general
104:
59:
58:
50:
42:
41:
39:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1480:
1470:
1469:
1464:
1459:
1454:
1449:
1432:
1431:
1427:
1426:
1422:
1421:
1419:Master aircrew
1411:
1409:
1399:
1394:
1389:
1382:Lance corporal
1379:
1365:
1360:
1352:
1351:
1346:
1341:
1334:Staff sergeant
1331:
1326:
1321:
1319:Lance corporal
1316:
1311:
1308:
1300:
1299:
1294:
1289:
1284:
1279:
1274:
1272:Lance corporal
1269:
1264:
1262:
1254:
1253:
1248:
1243:
1238:
1233:
1231:Leading rating
1228:
1225:
1220:
1217:
1209:
1208:
1203:
1198:
1193:
1188:
1183:
1178:
1173:
1168:
1165:Service branch
1154:
1152:
1146:
1143:
1142:
1131:
1130:
1123:
1116:
1108:
1100:
1099:
1088:on 9 June 2022
1069:
1044:
1008:
982:
957:
947:
929:
922:
904:
873:
859:
825:
816:
783:
782:
780:
777:
776:
775:
770:
763:
760:
751:
748:
732:
729:
728:
727:
724:
721:
718:
706:
703:
685:
682:
673:
670:
661:
658:
641:
638:
590:
589:
587:
586:
579:
572:
564:
561:
560:
557:
556:
541:
536:
516:
513:
512:
510:Air specialist
502:
497:
485:Lance corporal
482:
479:
478:
473:
471:Leading seaman
468:
458:
455:
454:
452:Enlisted ranks
448:
447:
442:
437:
432:
429:
428:
423:
413:
411:sergeant major
403:
400:
399:
393:
392:
387:
382:
377:
374:
373:
368:
358:
348:
345:
344:
342:Flying officer
339:
337:sub-lieutenant
327:
317:
314:
313:
308:
303:
298:
295:
294:
288:
287:
282:
271:
261:
258:
257:
255:Wing commander
252:
242:
237:
234:
233:
228:
221:
216:
213:
212:
206:
205:
200:
190:
180:
177:
176:
171:
161:
151:
148:
147:
142:
137:
127:
124:
123:
118:
113:
98:
95:
94:
89:
84:
75:
72:
71:
65:
64:
53:
46:
35:
28:
27:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1479:
1468:
1465:
1463:
1460:
1458:
1455:
1453:
1450:
1448:
1445:
1444:
1442:
1420:
1415:
1412:
1410:
1408:
1403:
1400:
1398:
1395:
1393:
1390:
1387:
1383:
1380:
1378:
1373:
1369:
1366:
1364:
1361:
1359:
1358:
1354:
1353:
1350:
1347:
1345:
1342:
1340:
1335:
1332:
1330:
1327:
1325:
1322:
1320:
1317:
1315:
1312:
1309:
1307:
1306:
1302:
1301:
1298:
1295:
1293:
1290:
1288:
1285:
1283:
1280:
1278:
1275:
1273:
1270:
1268:
1265:
1263:
1261:
1260:
1259:Royal Marines
1256:
1255:
1252:
1249:
1247:
1244:
1242:
1239:
1237:
1236:Petty officer
1234:
1232:
1229:
1226:
1224:
1221:
1218:
1216:
1215:
1211:
1210:
1207:
1204:
1202:
1199:
1197:
1194:
1192:
1189:
1187:
1184:
1182:
1179:
1177:
1174:
1172:
1169:
1167:
1166:
1162:
1158:
1157:
1153:
1150:
1149:
1144:
1140:
1136:
1129:
1124:
1122:
1117:
1115:
1110:
1109:
1106:
1087:
1083:
1079:
1073:
1058:
1054:
1048:
1029:
1025:
1018:
1012:
996:
992:
986:
971:
967:
961:
954:
950:
944:
940:
933:
925:
923:0-415-06568-2
919:
915:
908:
892:
888:
884:
877:
869:
863:
855:
847:
843:
842:
836:
829:
820:
801:
794:
788:
784:
774:
771:
769:
766:
765:
759:
757:
747:
744:
742:
738:
725:
722:
719:
716:
715:
714:
712:
702:
699:
695:
691:
681:
679:
669:
667:
657:
654:
652:
647:
637:
635:
631:
627:
623:
618:
616:
612:
608:
604:
603:aircraftwoman
600:
596:
585:
580:
578:
573:
571:
566:
565:
563:
562:
555:
550:
545:
542:
540:
537:
535:
530:
525:
520:
517:
514:
511:
506:
503:
501:
498:
496:
491:
486:
483:
480:
477:
474:
472:
469:
467:
462:
459:
456:
453:
449:
446:
443:
441:
440:Petty officer
438:
436:
433:
430:
427:
424:
422:
417:
414:
412:
407:
404:
401:
398:
394:
391:
388:
386:
385:Officer cadet
383:
381:
380:Officer cadet
378:
375:
372:
371:Pilot officer
369:
367:
362:
359:
357:
352:
349:
346:
343:
340:
338:
333:
328:
326:
321:
318:
315:
312:
309:
307:
304:
302:
299:
296:
293:
289:
286:
283:
281:
275:
272:
270:
265:
262:
259:
256:
253:
251:
246:
243:
241:
238:
235:
232:
231:Group captain
229:
227:
222:
220:
217:
214:
211:
207:
204:
203:Air commodore
201:
199:
194:
191:
189:
184:
181:
178:
175:
172:
170:
165:
162:
160:
155:
154:Major general
152:
149:
146:
143:
141:
138:
136:
131:
128:
125:
122:
119:
117:
114:
112:
107:
102:
99:
96:
93:
90:
88:
85:
83:
79:
78:Field marshal
76:
73:
70:
66:
62:
57:
54:
52:
47:
45:
36:
33:
30:
29:
26:
23:
22:
19:
1362:
1355:
1305:British Army
1303:
1257:
1212:
1205:
1200:
1195:
1190:
1185:
1180:
1175:
1170:
1159:
1090:. Retrieved
1086:the original
1081:
1072:
1060:. Retrieved
1056:
1047:
1035:. Retrieved
1028:the original
1023:
1011:
999:. Retrieved
994:
985:
973:. Retrieved
969:
960:
952:
938:
932:
913:
907:
895:. Retrieved
891:the original
886:
876:
862:
839:
828:
819:
807:. Retrieved
800:the original
787:
753:
745:
734:
708:
693:
687:
675:
663:
655:
643:
633:
629:
619:
615:Commonwealth
606:
602:
598:
594:
593:
553:
543:
390:Flight cadet
332:junior grade
164:Rear admiral
140:Vice admiral
111:army general
60:
55:
51:coast guards
48:
37:
18:
1363:Air recruit
1223:Able seaman
1092:13 December
1001:13 December
991:"BAF RANKS"
731:New Zealand
630:air recruit
595:Aircraftman
544:Aircraftman
500:Able seaman
145:Air marshal
40:air forces
1441:Categories
1214:Royal Navy
856:required.)
672:Bangladesh
624:and has a
495:Specialist
466:bombardier
366:midshipman
330:Lieutenant
325:lieutenant
306:Lieutenant
278:Lieutenant
269:commandant
56:Air forces
1191:OR-5/OR-6
779:Footnotes
660:Australia
280:commander
250:Commander
193:Commodore
183:Brigadier
1397:Sergeant
1392:Corporal
1386:RAF Regt
1329:Sergeant
1324:Corporal
1310:Recruit
1282:Sergeant
1277:Corporal
1219:Recruit
1163:grade /
1062:2 August
1037:2 August
975:2 August
762:See also
750:Zimbabwe
705:Malaysia
694:aviateur
476:Corporal
461:Corporal
445:Sergeant
435:Sergeant
49:Navies,
1314:Private
1137:of the
809:7 March
735:In the
698:private
688:In the
640:History
554:aviator
529:trooper
519:Private
301:Captain
226:Captain
219:Colonel
116:Admiral
101:General
82:Marshal
38:Armies,
1388:only)
1267:Marine
945:
920:
897:14 May
773:Airman
684:Canada
549:airman
539:Seaman
534:sapper
524:gunner
361:Ensign
1031:(PDF)
1020:(PDF)
850:
835:"erk"
803:(PDF)
796:(PDF)
646:ranks
601:) or
264:Major
1206:OR-9
1201:OR-8
1196:OR-7
1186:OR-4
1181:OR-3
1176:OR-2
1171:OR-1
1161:NATO
1094:2020
1064:2017
1039:2017
1003:2020
977:2017
943:ISBN
918:ISBN
899:2017
811:2017
709:The
664:The
626:NATO
607:ACW
334:or
276:or
80:or
1443::
1080:.
1055:.
1022:.
993:.
968:.
951:.
885:.
838:.
758:.
743:.
680:.
634:AR
599:AC
551:or
546:or
531:or
526:or
521:or
507:or
492:or
487:or
463:or
418:or
408:or
363:or
353:or
322:or
266:or
247:or
195:or
185:or
166:or
156:or
132:or
108:or
103:or
1416:/
1404:/
1384:(
1374:/
1336:/
1127:e
1120:t
1113:v
1096:.
1066:.
1041:.
1005:.
979:.
926:.
901:.
848:.
813:.
632:(
605:(
597:(
583:e
576:t
569:v
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.