Flight officer

The title flight officer was a military rank used by the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. It was also an air force rank in several Commonwealth na- tions where it was used for female officers and was equiv- alent to the rank of flight lieutenant. The term flight offi- cer is sometimes used today to describe job title positions as aircrew members.

1 Aircrew function

A flight officer is a member of the aircrew of an aircraft who is responsible for specific functions. The flight offi- cer may function as the navigator, responsible for plan- ning the journey, advising the pilot while en route, and ensuring that hazards or obstacles are avoided. The flight officer may also be responsible for operating aircraft mis- sion/weapon systems, including mission planning, mis- sion timing, threat reactions, aircraft communications, and hazard avoidance. In the United States Navy and Marine Corps and formerly United States Coast Guard, officer aircrew members responsible for operating air- borne weapon and sensor systems are called naval flight officers. The title of flight officer is also used for police officers who serve as pilots in law enforcement aviation units.

2 Military rank U.S. Army Air Forces Flight officer rank insignia as used during World War II. 2.1 United States Army sioned officer strength levels prevented pilot expansion. Flight officer was a United States Army Air Forces rank The Army requested authority to establish the Flight Offi- used during World War II, from 1942 to 1945;[1]the rank [2] cer/Warrant Officer program. This proposal was rejected being created on Sep 10, 1942 because the Army already had three groups of personnel The rank is equivalent to Warrant Officer Junior Grade - -enlisted, warrant officer and commissioned officer. As (WOJG) which is today’s Warrant Officer (NATO grade: a fall back position, the Department of the Army decided W-1). Enlisted and aviation cadet trainees who suc- that the grade of flight officer was in reality a Warrant Of- cessfully passed air qualification training were appointed ficer grade with a restriction to the Warrant Officer Junior as Flight Officers and served as rated pilots, navigators, Grade rank (WOJG).[3] flight engineers, bombardiers and glider pilots. At the end The Warrant Officer Flight Program was begun in 1949 of World War II, the Army Air Forces discontinued the and the first pilots graduated in 1951. Most of the War- use of the rank of flight officer. All of the service’s flight rant Officers were trained to fly helicopters; the Army officers had either been promoted to commissioned offi- had begun a helicopter pilot training course for officers cer ranks during the course of the war or discharged. in 1948. Flight Warrant Officer Candidates had to be In the late 1940s, following the creation of the separate between the ages of 18 and 28 when they began train- US Air Force in 1947, the United States Army required ing, though they could begin training if they were about more pilots. However, congressionally-imposed commis- to have their 18th or hadn't yet had their 29th birthday.

1 2 4 REFERENCES

Women’s Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) and its succes- sor, 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 previously used in the Women’s Royal Australian Air Force, which was ab- sorbed into the Royal Australian Air Force in 1977.

3 See also

• Aircrew (Flight crew)

4 References

[1] “History of the Warrant Officer”. United States Army Warrant Officer Association. Retrieved 2007-03-18.

[2] http://www.gao.gov/products/B-28373

[3] http://www.usawoa.org/woheritage/Hist_Avn_WO.htm

The Gallet Flight Officer Chronograph (1939), commissioned by Harry S Truman’s senatorial staff for issue to flight officers and pilots of the US Army Air Forces during WWII.

Army commissioned- and warrant officer pilots were un- der the Transportation Corps from 1947 to 1983, after which Army Aviation had its own branch. They were only allowed artillery spotting, reconnaissance, and ca- sualty evacuation roles, as the Air Force had a lock on everything else.

2.2 Civil Air Patrol

The rank of flight officer was re-instituted by the United States Air Force's civilian Auxiliary, the Civil Air Patrol (CAP), in the mid-1980s, replacing the former ranks of warrant officer and chief warrant officer, new entrants for which had been eliminated by the Air Force in 1959 and discontinued with the retirement of the last USAF chief warrant officer in the Air Force Reserve in 1992. CAP Officers between the ages of 18 and 20 are eligible for promotion to the ranks of flight officer, technical flight officer and senior flight officer. Requirements for promo- tion to each grade is generally the same as for promotion to CAP second lieutenant, first lieutenant, and captain, respectively.

2.3 Commonwealth nations

Flight officer was established as a rank equivalent to flight lieutenant in the women’s air services of several Com- monwealth nations. The rank was used by the British 3

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