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Aircraftman

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(Redirected fromAircraftsman)

Lowest rank in the British Royal Air Force

Comparative military ranks

General officers,Flag officers,Air officers
	Armies, air forces (non-Commonwealth)	Navies, coast guards	Air forces (Commonwealth system)
	Marshal or field marshal	Admiral of the fleet	Marshal of the air force
	General or colonel general or army general	Admiral	Air chief marshal
	Lieutenant general or army corps general	Vice admiral	Air marshal
	Major general or divisional general	Rear admiral or counter admiral	Air vice-marshal
	Brigadier or brigadier general	Commodore or flotilla admiral	Air commodore
Senior officers
	Colonel	(Ship-of-the-line) Captain	Group captain
	Lieutenant colonel	Commander or frigate captain	Wing commander
	Major or commandant	Lieutenant commander orcorvette captain	Squadron leader
Junior officers
	Captain	Lieutenant	Flight lieutenant
	First lieutenant or lieutenant	Lieutenant junior grade or sub-lieutenant	Flying officer
	Second lieutenant or junior lieutenant	Ensign or midshipman	Pilot officer
Senior NCOs
	Warrant officer or sergeant major	Warrant officer or chief petty officer	Warrant officer
Junior NCOs
	Sergeant	Petty officer	Sergeant
	Corporal or bombardier	Leading seaman	Corporal
Enlisted ranks
	Lance corporal or Lance bombardier or specialist	Able seaman	Leading aircraftman or Air specialist
	Private or gunner or trooper or Sepoy or sapper	Seaman	Aircraftman or airman or aviator

Aircraftman (AC) oraircraftwoman (ACW)^[1]^[2] was formerly the lowest rank in the BritishRoyal Air Force (RAF) and is still in use by the air forces of several otherCommonwealth countries. In RAF slang, aircraftmen were sometimes called "erks".^[3]

Aircraftman ranked belowleading aircraftman and has aNATO 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 renamedair recruit (AR) in the Royal Air Force in July 2022.^[4]

History

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The rank was introduced to the RAF in January 1919, replacing theranks 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.^[5] The rank ofsenior aircraftman (SAC) was introduced on 1 January 1951.

The lowest grade was an AC2; also colloquially known as an "AC plonk".^[6] With effect from 1 April 1964, the gradings of AC1 and AC2 were abolished, with "aircraftman" becoming the entry rank.^[7]

Canada

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In theRoyal Canadian Air Force, the rank is also known by the French term ofaviateur. This was changed fromprivate 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.^[8] In August 2020, the rank was changed to aviator.^{[citation needed]}

New Zealand

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In theRoyal New Zealand Air Force, the rank is known as "aircraftman", regardless of the person's sex, in line with "seaman" in theRoyal New Zealand Navy.^[9]

In 2023 the RNZAF adopted the title of ‘aviator(s)’ rather than airman when describing Air Force personnel.

Gallery

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Aircraftman/
aircraftwoman
(Royal Australian Air Force)^[10]^[11]
Aircraftsman
(Ghana Air Force)^[12]
Aircraftsman
(Indian Air Force)^[13]
Aircraftsman
(Kenya Air Force)^[14]
Aircraftman
(Royal New Zealand Air Force)^[15]
Aircraftman
(Pakistan Air Force)
Aircraftsman
(South African Air Force)^[16]
Air recruit
(Royal Air Force)^[17]
Aircraftsman
(Air Force of Zimbabwe)^[18]

Footnotes

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^"RAF Distinguishing Insignia"(PDF). Archived fromthe original(PDF) on 7 March 2017. Retrieved7 March 2017.
^The spellings "aircraftsman" and "aircraftswoman", despite being occasionally seen even in official documents, are incorrect in any air force.
^"erk".Oxford English Dictionary (Online ed.).Oxford University Press. (Subscription orparticipating institution membership required.)
^"Junior Ranks Revolution". RAF News. No. 1540. 15 July 2022.
^Perkins, Dave."Royal Navy Branches, Ranks and Ratings, 1918".www.pbenyon.plus.com. Archived fromthe original on 24 January 2019. Retrieved14 May 2017.
^Partridge, Eric (2000).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 (8 ed.). London: Routledge. p. 1.ISBN 0-415-06568-2.
^Jefford, C.G. (2010).Observers and Navigators: And Other Non-Pilot Aircrew in the RFC, RNAS and RAF. London: Grub Street. p. 285.ISBN 978-1-909808-02-7.Air Ministry Order A.80/1963 of 6 March 1963 replaced the AC1 and AC2 with just 'Aircraftman' with effect from 1 April 1964
^"A Return to the Royal Canadian Air Force Ranks; a Historical Examination"(PDF).rcaf-arc.forces. 2014. p. 12. Archived fromthe original(PDF) on 21 January 2022. Retrieved2 August 2017.
^"RNZAF – RNZAF Ranks".www.airforce.mil.nz. Retrieved2 August 2017.
^"Ranks | Air Force".airforce.gov.au. Royal Australian Air Force.Archived from the original on 25 October 2023. Retrieved10 November 2023.
^"Badges of rank"(PDF).defence.gov.au. Department of Defence (Australia). Retrieved31 May 2021.
^"Rank Structure".gafonline.mil.gh. Ghana Air Force. 2018. Archived fromthe original on 21 January 2018. Retrieved3 March 2024.
^"For Airmen".careerairforce.nic.in. Indian Air Force. Archived fromthe original on 25 February 2012. Retrieved23 September 2021.
^"KDF Ranks".mod.go.ke. Ministry of Defence - Kenya. Retrieved9 December 2022.
^"Badges of Rank"(PDF).nzdf.mil.nz. New Zealand Defence Force. Retrieved28 July 2022.
^"Rank Insignia".af.mil.za. Department of Defence (South Africa). Archived fromthe original on 1 January 2019. Retrieved29 May 2021.
^"RAF Ranks".raf.mod.uk/.Royal Air Force. Retrieved21 September 2021.
^"RANKS AND BADGES IN THE AFZ".afz.gov.zw. Air Force of Zimbabwe. Archived fromthe original on 9 June 2022. Retrieved29 May 2021.

Ratings and other ranks of theBritish Armed Forces

NATO grade /Service branch	OR-1	OR-2	OR-3	OR-4	OR-5/OR-6	OR-7	OR-8	OR-9
Royal Navy	Recruit	Able seaman	not applicable	Leading rating	Petty officer	Chief petty officer	Warrant officer class 2	Warrant officer class 1
Royal Marines		Marine	Lance corporal	Corporal	Sergeant	Colour sergeant	Warrant officer class 2	Warrant officer class 1
British Army	Recruit	Private	Lance corporal	Corporal	Sergeant	Staff sergeant / Colour sergeant	Warrant officer class 2	Warrant officer class 1
Royal Air Force	Air recruit	Air specialist (class 2) Air specialist (class 1) / Air specialist (class 1) technician	Lance corporal (RAF Regt only)	Corporal	Sergeant	Chief technician / Flight sergeant		Warrant officer / Master aircrew