BennieSheppard1 at 23:55, 31 August 2025

2025-08-31T23:55:36Z

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{{short description|Junior commissioned rank}}
{{about|the air force rank|the film|Flight Lieutenant (film)}}
{{EngvarB|date=June 2025}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}}
{{more citations needed|date=February 2024}}
{{Globalize||United Kingdom|date=February 2024}}
{{Military ranks | state=expanded}}

'''Flight lieutenant''' ('''Flt Lt''' or '''F/L''') is a [[junior officer]] rank used by some air forces, with origins from the [[Royal Air Force]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.raf.mod.uk/organisation/commissionedranks.cfm |title=Ranks and Badges of the Royal Air Force |access-date=2007-12-01 |year=2007 |publisher=[[Royal Air Force]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=http://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/20110709184204/http://www.raf.mod.uk/organisation/commissionedranks.cfm |archive-date=9 July 2011 }}</ref> The rank originated in the [[Royal Naval Air Service]] (RNAS) in 1914. It fell into abeyance when the RNAS merged with the Royal Flying Corps during the [[First World War]] but was revived in 1919 in the post-war RAF. The rank is used by air forces of many [[Commonwealth of Nations|countries that have historical British influence]].

Flight lieutenant is immediately senior to [[flying officer]] and immediately below [[squadron leader]]. It is usually equivalent to the rank of [[Lieutenant (navy)|lieutenant]] in the navy and of the rank of [[Captain (armed forces)|captain]] in other services.

The equivalent rank in the former [[Women's Auxiliary Air Force]] (WAAF), [[Women's Royal Air Force]] (WRAF) and [[Princess Mary's Royal Air Force Nursing Service]] (PMRAFNS) (until 1980) was [[flight officer]].

==Canada==
{{see also|Canadian Armed Forces ranks and insignia}}
The rank was used in the [[Royal Canadian Air Force]] from 1920 until the 1968 [[Unification of the Canadian Armed Forces|unification of the Canadian Forces]], when army-type rank titles were adopted. Canadian flight lieutenants then became [[Captain (armed forces)|captain]]s.{{Citation needed|date=February 2024}} In official [[Canadian French]] usage, the rank title was {{lang|fr|capitaine d'aviation}}.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.castlearchdale.net/id37.html |title=The RCAF |website=castlearchdale.net |access-date=22 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090603201652/http://www.castlearchdale.net/id37.html |archive-date=3 June 2009 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Denmark==
{{see also|Ranks and insignia of Royal Danish Air Force}}
Following the creation of the [[Royal Danish Air Force]], the ranks of flight lieutenant first and second class ({{langx|da|Flyverløjtnant 1. grad}} and {{lang|da|Flyverløjtnant 2. grad}}) were used.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Møller |first1=N. Olaf |title=Flyvevåbnets Gredstegn M.V. |url=https://i1.wp.com/kvv73.dk/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Flyvevaabnet1956.jpg |access-date=21 February 2022 |language=da |year=1956}}</ref> The ranks were used until 1970, when they were replaced by [[First lieutenant|first]] and [[second lieutenant]] ({{langx|da|Premierløjtnant}} and {{lang|da|Sekondløjtnant}}).<ref>{{cite web |last1=Schrøder |first1=Hans A. |title=flyverløjtnant |url=https://lex.dk/flyverl%C3%B8jtnant |website=Lex – Danmarks Nationalleksikon |access-date=26 April 2025 |language=da}}</ref>

== United Kingdom ==
{{see also|RAF officer ranks}}
{{Infobox military rank
| name = Flight lieutenant
| image =
| image_size = 150px
| caption = Command flag
| image2 = British RAF OF-2.svg
| image_size2 = 50px
| caption2 = Shoulder and sleeve insignia
| image3 =
| image_size3 =
| caption3 =
| country = United Kingdom
| service branch = {{air force|United Kingdom}}
| abbreviation = Flt Lt / {{smaller|FLTLT}}
| rank =
| NATO rank = [[Ranks and insignia of NATO armies officers#Officers (OF 1–10)|OF-2]]
| Non-NATO rank =
| formation = {{start date|1919|08||df=y}}
| abolished =
| higher rank = [[Squadron leader]]
| lower rank = [[Flying officer]]
| equivalents = {{unbulleted list|{{nowrap|[[Captain (British Army and Royal Marines)|Captain]] ([[British Army|Army]]; [[Royal Marines|Marines]])}}|[[Lieutenant (Royal Navy)|Lieutenant]] ([[Royal Navy|Navy]])}}
| history = [[Royal Naval Air Service]]
}}
===Origins===
[[Image:RNAS Flt Lt.png|thumbnail|100px|left|The rank insignia of a [[Royal Naval Air Service]] flight lieutenant]]
The rank originated in the [[Royal Navy]] as a rank title for [[Lieutenant (Royal Navy)|naval lieutenants]] serving in the [[Royal Naval Air Service]] (RNAS).<ref>{{cite journal |editor1-last=Spooner |editor1-first=Stanley |editor1-link=Stanley Spooner |title=Royal Naval Air Service Reorganisation |journal=Flight |date=26 June 1914 |volume=VI |issue=287 |page=686 |url=https://archive.org/details/sim_flight-international_1914-06-26_6_26/page/686/mode/2up |access-date=27 June 2021}}</ref> Promotions to the rank were first gazetted on 30 June 1914.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=28845 |date=30 June 1914 |page=5070 }}</ref> It fell into abeyance when the RNAS merged with the Royal Flying Corps during the [[First World War]] but was revived in 1919 in the post-war RAF.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.raf.mod.uk/organisation/ranks.cfm |title=Ranks and Badges of the RAF |work=Royal Air Force |year=2015 |access-date=22 March 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080702132745/http://www.raf.mod.uk/organisation/ranks.cfm |archive-date=2 July 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

On 1 April 1918, the newly created [[Royal Air Force|RAF]] adopted its officer rank titles from the [[British Army]], with [[Royal Naval Air Service]] lieutenants (titled as flight lieutenants and flight commanders) and [[Royal Flying Corps]] captains becoming captains in the RAF. In response to the proposal that the RAF should use its own rank titles, it was suggested that the RAF might use the [[Royal Navy]]'s [[Ranks of the Royal Navy|officer ranks]], with the word "air" inserted before the naval rank title. For example, the current rank of flight lieutenant would have been "air lieutenant". Although the [[British Admiralty|Admiralty]] objected to this simple modification of their rank titles, it was agreed that the RAF might base many of its officer rank titles on navy officer ranks with differing pre-modifying terms. It was also suggested that RAF captains might be entitled flight-leaders. However, the rank title flight lieutenant was chosen as [[Flight (military unit)|flights]] were typically commanded by RAF captains and the term flight lieutenant had been used in the Royal Naval Air Service. The RAF rank of flight lieutenant was introduced in August 1919<ref>{{cite book |last=Hobart |first=Malcolm C |date=2000 |title=Badges and Uniforms of the Royal Air Force |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7ATMDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT29 |publisher=Leo Cooper |page=26 |isbn=0-85052-739-2}}</ref> and it has been used continuously since then.

===Usage in the RAF===

Although in the early years of the RAF a flight lieutenant commanded an aircraft flight, with the increasing combat power of aircraft and therefore squadrons, command and control has shifted up the rank structure (currently, for instance, most squadron commanders in the RAF are [[Wing commander (rank)|Wing Commander]]s, a reflection on the comparative combat power between the modern air force and its predecessor).

The RAF's promotion system is automatic up until flight lieutenant. Every officer will attain the rank provided they complete their professional training and do not leave early. For aircrew, flight lieutenant is reached 2.5 years after commissioning, Engineering Branch (AS & CE) entrants with applicable bachelor's/master's degrees reach flight lieutenant at 2.5 and 1.5 years respectively, and for all other ground branch officers, 3.5 years. Aircrew are appointed to an Early Departure Payment Commission upon reaching their [[Operational Conversion Unit]], which is a commission for 20 years or age 40, whichever is later. Promotion to [[squadron leader]] thereafter is strictly upon merit; officers promoted beyond flight lieutenant are appointed to a career commission, or service to age 60. Resigning a commission is generally dependent on the needs of the service, although an officer who has completed their return of service (service the RAF requires to justify its expense in originally training the officer) could leave after as little as four years. For aircrew, given the large expense required for training, this return of service is generally the length of their initial commission anyway, unless they re-role to a different branch having failed an element of flying training. Most aircrew reach their squadrons as flight lieutenants due to the length of training time required (up to four years for fast jet pilots) and the significant holds in the training pipeline.<ref>{{Cite report|url=https://www.nao.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Military-Flying-Training.pdf|title= Military flying training |publisher=[[National Audit Office (United Kingdom)|National Audit Office]] |author=Comptroller and Auditor General |date=12 June 2015 }}</ref> The majority of squadron line pilots are flight lieutenants, with some squadron executives or Career Commission aircrew reaching Squadron Leader.

Aside from aircrew, whose work typically does not require active leadership for units of airmen, ground branch officers can expect to operate units that can range in size from a few specialist non-commissioned personnel to 50 or more personnel for engineering or other manpower intensive roles. The role of a flight lieutenant generally involves management of a team of specialist non-commissioned officers and airmen, within their specific branch. In the [[RAF Regiment]], a flight lieutenant generally has the same role and responsibility as a [[Captain (British Army and Royal Marines)|captain]] in the British Army, in charge of a regiment flight of 30 men, and could be second-in-command of a squadron of up to 120 men.

Flight lieutenant is the most common officer rank in the RAF; in April 2013, for example, there were 8,230 RAF officers, of whom 3,890 (47.3%) were flight lieutenants.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/284564/uk-af-personnel-report-1-april-2013-revised.pdf |title=UK Armed Forces Annual Personnel Report |work=Ministry of Defence |date=1 April 2013 |access-date=22 March 2015}}</ref> In RAF informal usage, a flight lieutenant is sometimes referred to as a "flight lieuy". A Flight Lieutenant's starting salary is £42,008.48 as of 2019.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.raf-ff.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/20190919-2019-Pay-Rates.pdf | title= Pay Rates for 2019–20 |website = Royal Air Force Families Federation |date=24 July 2019 }}</ref>

===RAF Air Cadets===

In the [[Air Training Corps]], a flight lieutenant is usually the officer commanding of a [[Squadron (aviation)|squadron]],{{citation needed|date=April 2011}} appointed under a Cadet Forces Commission.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/758400/00149.pdf | publisher = [[Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)|Ministry of Defence]] | date = 2 February 2018 | title = Royal Warrant for Cadet Force commission }}</ref> Retired flight lieutenants are the first rank that may continue to use their rank after they have left active service.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.debretts.com/forms-of-address/professions/armed-forces/raf/retired.aspx |title=Armed Forces, Forms Of Address |work=Debrett's |year=2015 |access-date=22 March 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120913161710/http://www.debretts.com/forms-of-address/professions/armed-forces/raf/retired.aspx |archive-date=13 September 2012 }}</ref>

===Insignia===
The rank insignia consists of two narrow blue bands on slightly wider black bands. This is worn on both the lower sleeves of the tunic or on the shoulders of the [[flight suit]] or the casual uniform. The rank insignia on the mess uniform is similar to the naval pattern, being two band of gold running around each cuff but without the Royal Navy's loop. Unlike senior RAF officers, flight lieutenants are not entitled to fly a [[Squadron Leader#Insignia and command flag|command flag]] under any circumstances.

<gallery>
File:UK-Air-OF2.svg|An RAF flight lieutenant's sleeve/shoulder insignia
File:File-UK-Air-OF2-mess-insignia.svg|An RAF flight lieutenant's sleeve mess insignia
File:RAF-Flt Lt-OF-2.png|An RAF flight lieutenant's sleeve on No. 1 service dress uniform
</gallery>

== Gallery ==

<gallery class="center">
File:United Kingdom-AirForce-OF-2 Sleeve.svg|([[Royal Australian Air Force]])<ref name="Australia">{{cite web |title=Badges of rank |url=https://www.defence.gov.au/images/Badges_of_rank.pdf |website=defence.gov.au |publisher=[[Department of Defence (Australia)]] |access-date=31 May 2021}}</ref>
File:British RAF OF-2.svg|([[Bangladesh Air Force]])<ref>{{cite web |title=OFFICER'S RANKS |url=http://www.joinbangladeshairforce.mil.bd/index.php/main_controll/ranks_structure_baf?1=1&pagemenu=ranks_structure_baf&submenu=1&leafsub=0 |website=joinbangladeshairforce.mil.bd |access-date=11 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200219212643/http://www.joinbangladeshairforce.mil.bd/index.php/main_controll/ranks_structure_baf?1=1&pagemenu=ranks_structure_baf&submenu=1&leafsub=0 |archive-date=19 February 2020}}</ref>
File:09.Ghana Air Force-CPT.svg|([[Ghana Air Force]])<ref name="Ghana_AirForce">{{cite web |title=Rank Structure |url=http://gafonline.mil.gh/airforce/index.php/subhome/rank-structure |website=gafonline.mil.gh |publisher=Ghana Air Force |access-date=3 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180121080703/http://gafonline.mil.gh/airforce/index.php/subhome/rank-structure |archive-date=21 January 2018 |year=2018 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
File:Indian IAF OF-2.svg|([[Indian Air Force]])<ref>{{cite web |title=For Officers |url=http://www.careerairforce.nic.in/life_airforce/lifeair_cargraph_officers.html |website=careerairforce.nic.in |publisher=Indian Air Force |access-date=23 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120225210317/http://www.careerairforce.nic.in/life_airforce/lifeair_cargraph_officers.html |archive-date=25 February 2012}}</ref>
File:09-Namibia Air Force-FLTLT.svg|([[Namibian Air Force]])<ref name="Namibia">{{cite magazine |title=Government Notice |magazine=Government Gazette of the Republic of Namibia |date=20 August 2010 |volume=4547 |pages=99–102 |url=http://www.lac.org.na/laws/2010/4547.pdf |access-date=20 December 2021}}</ref>
File:Nigeria-AirForce-OF-2.svg|([[Nigerian Air Force]])<ref name="Nigeria">{{cite book |last1=Smaldone |first1=Joseph P. |editor1-last=Metz |editor1-first=Helen Chapin |editor-link=Helen Chapin Metz |title=Nigeria: a country study |series=Area Handbook |date=1992 |publisher=Library of Congress |location=Washington, D.C. |lccn=92009026 |pages=296–297 |edition=5th |url=https://www.loc.gov/resource/frdcstdy.nigeriacountryst00metz_0/?sp=340 |access-date=21 October 2021 |chapter=National Security}}</ref>
File:Pak-air-force-OF-2.svg|([[Pakistan Air Force]])
File:United Kingdom-AirForce-OF-2 Sleeve.svg|([[Sri Lanka Air Force]])<ref>{{cite web |title=Commissioned Officers |url=http://www.airforce.lk/ranks.php |website=airforce.lk |publisher=Sri Lanka Air Force |access-date=24 September 2021}}</ref><br />
File:United Kingdom-AirForce-OF-2 Sleeve.svg|([[Royal Air Force]])<ref name="UK_AirForce">{{cite web |title=RAF Ranks |url=https://www.raf.mod.uk/our-organisation/raf-ranks/ |website=raf.mod.uk/ |publisher=[[Royal Air Force]] |access-date=21 September 2021}}</ref>
File:TaT-Air Guard-OF-2.png|([[Trinidad and Tobago Air Guard]])<ref name="Trinidad&Tobago_Officer">{{cite web |title=Rank Chart (Commissioned Officers) |url=http://69.0.195.188/HQ/Our-Organisation/Ranks-Chart-(Commissioned-Officers).aspx |website=69.0.195.188 |publisher=Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force |access-date=27 May 2021 }}{{Dead link|date=April 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
File:Canadian Air Command (1984-2014) OF-2.svg|([[Air Force of Zimbabwe]])<ref name="Zimbabwe_AirForce">{{cite web |title=Ranks and Badges in the AFZ |url=http://www.afz.gov.zw/?page_id=1115 |website=afz.gov.zw |publisher=[[Air Force of Zimbabwe]] |access-date=29 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220609134525/http://www.afz.gov.zw/?page_id=1115 |archive-date=9 June 2022}}</ref>
</gallery>

==Notable flight lieutenants==
{{More citations needed|section|date=February 2024}}
{{Excessive examples|section|date=February 2024}}
[[File:Bir Shreshto Flt. Lft. Matiur Rahman-3.png|thumb|right|150px| [[Bir Sreshtho]] [[Matiur Rahman (military pilot)|Matiur Rahman]], Bangladeshi freedom fighter and recipient of [[Awards and decorations of the Bangladesh Armed Forces#Wartime gallantry awards|the highest military award in Bangladesh]].]][[File:Prince William of Wales RAF.jpg|thumb|right|150px|[[Prince William, Duke of Cambridge|Prince William]] in 2010, in his flight lieutenant's uniform; promoted to [[squadron leader]] in 2016]]

* [[Billy Strachan]] – pioneer of black civil rights in Britain, survived 33 missions during WWII when average life expectancy was 7 missions
* [[Prince Alexander of Yugoslavia (1924–2016)|Alexander, Prince of Yugoslavia]]{{spaced endash}}member of Yugoslavian royal family
* [[Gerald Bouey]]{{spaced endash}}former governor of the [[Bank of Canada]]
* Sir [[Arthur C. Clarke]]{{spaced endash}}British author and inventor
* Sir [[Christopher Lee]]{{spaced endash}}British actor, served in RAF Intelligence during World War II
* [[Family of Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge|Peter Francis Middleton]]{{spaced endash}}grandfather of [[Catherine, Princess of Wales]] and co-pilot of [[Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh|Prince Philip]]
* Sir [[Patrick Moore]]{{spaced endash}}British astronomer
* [[Donald Pleasence]]{{spaced endash}}British actor
* [[Matiur Rahman (military pilot)|Matiur Rahman]]{{spaced endash}} [[Bangladesh Air Force]] (Former [[Pakistan Air Force]]) pilot
* [[Jerry Rawlings]]{{spaced endash}}Ghanaian politician who twice served as his country's president
* [[Ian Smith]]{{spaced endash}}Prime Minister of Rhodesia (1964–1979)
* [[Rory Underwood]]{{spaced endash}}Leicester, England and British and Irish Lions winger<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=58941 |date=6 January 2009 |page=123 |supp=y }}</ref>
* [[Jim Vipond]]{{spaced endash}}Canadian sports columnist
* [[Gough Whitlam]]{{spaced endash}}Prime Minister of Australia (1972–1975)
*[[John Nichol (RAF officer)|John Nichol]] – Former RAF Navigator, Gulf War prisoner of war and motivational speaker
*[[Nicholas Winton|Sir Nicholas George Winton]] – contributed to the [[Kindertransport]] humanitarian rescue
*[[William, Prince of Wales]]

==See also==
{{stack|{{Portal|United Kingdom|Aviation}}}}
* [[Air force officer rank insignia]]
* [[British and U.S. military ranks compared]]
* [[Comparative military ranks]]
* [[RAF officer ranks]]
* [[Ranks of the RAAF]]
* Lieutenant (for pronunciation)

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{UK officer ranks}}


[[Category:Military ranks of the Commonwealth]]
[[Category:Military ranks of Australia]]
[[Category:Former military ranks of Canada]]
[[Category:Military ranks of the Royal Air Force]]
[[Category:Air force ranks]]
[[Category:Pakistan Air Force ranks]]
[[Category:Military ranks of Bangladesh]]
[[Category:Military ranks of Sri Lanka]]
[[Category:Military ranks of the Indian Air Force]]

Flight lieutenant - Revision history

BennieSheppard1 at 23:55, 31 August 2025