Flight officer
The title flight officer was a military rank used by the United States Army Air Forces during World War II, and also an air force rank in several Commonwealth countries, where it was used for female officers and was equivalent to the rank of flight lieutenant. The term flight officer is sometimes used today to describe job title positions as aircrew members.
Aircrew function
A flight officer is a member of the
Military rank
United States
United States Army
Flight officer was a United States Army Air Forces rank used during World War II, from 1942 to 1945;[1] the rank being created on 10 September 1942.[2] On 5 November 1942 military glider pilots were commissioned as flight officers after the completion of their training. The new rank insignia was nicknamed "the blue pickle."[3]
The rank is equivalent to Warrant Officer Junior Grade (WOJG) which is today's
In the late 1940s, following the creation of the separate
The Warrant Officer Flight Program began in 1949 and the first warrant officer Army Aviators graduated from it in 1951. The program was suspended in 1959 but reestablished in 1963, and as of January 2022 it has been in continuous operation ever since. Most of the warrant officers were initially trained to fly helicopters; the Army had begun a helicopter pilot training course for officers in 1948. Flight warrant officer candidates had to be between the ages of 18 and 28 when they began training, though they could begin training at age 17 if they were about to have their 18th birthday.
From 1947 until creation of the
Army Aviators, both commissioned and warrant officers, piloted Army aircraft (both
Civil Air Patrol
The rank of flight officer was re-instituted by the United States Air Force's civilian
-
Civil Air Patrol rank insignia of a senior flight officer.
-
Civil Air Patrol rank insignia of a technical flight officer.
-
Civil Air Patrol rank insignia of a flight officer.
Commonwealth countries
Flight officer was established as a rank equivalent to flight lieutenant in the women's air services of several Commonwealth countries. The rank was used by the United Kingdom′s Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) and its successor, the Women's Royal Air Force (WRAF), until 1968, and by Princess Mary's Royal Air Force Nursing Service (PMRAFNS) until 1980. It was also used in the Women's Royal Australian Air Force before it was absorbed into the Royal Australian Air Force in 1977.
See also
- Aircrew (Flight crew)
References
- ^ "History of the Warrant Officer". United States Army Warrant Officer Association. Retrieved 18 March 2007.
- ^ "B-28373, September 10, 1942, 22 Comp. Gen. 216".
- ^ pp. 92–93 Okerstrom, Dennis R. Project 9: The Birth of the Air Commandos in World War II University of Missouri Press, 8 July 2014
- ^ "History of Women Warrant Officers - WO Heritage Foundation". Archived from the original on 10 July 2004.