Aircraftman
Aircraftman (AC) or aircraftwoman (ACW)[1][2] is the lowest rank in the British Royal Air Force (RAF) and the air forces of several other Commonwealth countries.
Aircraftman ranks below leading aircraftman and has a NATO rank code of OR-1. It is now a training rank only and no airmen in productive service hold this rank. Aircraftmen do not wear any rank insignia.
Contents
History
The rank was introduced on the formation of the RAF in 1918, replacing the Royal Flying Corps rank of air mechanic 2nd class. There were two grades: Aircraftman 1st class (AC1) and aircraftman 2nd class (AC2; also colloquially known as an "AC plonk").[citation needed]
Royal Air Force
In RAF slang, aircraftmen are sometimes called "erks".
Royal Canadian Air Force
In the Royal Canadian Air Force, the rank is known as "aviator". This was changed from Private in spring 2015 when the RCAF changed the colour of it's rank insignia from gold to pearl grey. It is the lowest rank in the RCAF.
Royal Australian Air Force
The Royal Australian Air Force also uses both aircraftman and aircraftwoman.
Royal New Zealand Air Force
In the Royal New Zealand Air Force, the rank is known as "aircraftman", regardless of the person's sex, in line with "seaman" in the Royal New Zealand Navy.
Footnotes
- ↑ RAF website
- ↑ The spellings "aircraftsman" and "aircraftswoman", despite being occasionally seen even in official documents, are incorrect in any air force.
