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Flight lieutenant

Flight lieutenant (Flt Lt or F/L) is a junior officer rank used by some air forces, with origins from the Royal Air Force.[1] 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 countries that have historical British influence.

This article is about the air force rank. For the film, see Flight Lieutenant (film).

Flight lieutenant is immediately senior to flying officer and immediately below squadron leader. It is usually equivalent to the rank of lieutenant in the navy and of the rank of 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.

Flight lieutenant

 United Kingdom

 Royal Air Force

Flt Lt / FLTLT

OF-2

August 1919 (1919-08)

Squadron leader

Flying officer

Royal Naval Air Service

An RAF flight lieutenant's sleeve/shoulder insignia

An RAF flight lieutenant's sleeve/shoulder insignia

An RAF flight lieutenant's sleeve mess insignia

An RAF flight lieutenant's sleeve mess insignia

An RAF flight lieutenant's sleeve on No. 1 service dress uniform

An RAF flight lieutenant's sleeve on No. 1 service dress uniform

(Royal Australian Air Force)[12]

(Royal Australian Air Force)[12]

(Bangladesh Air Force)[13]

(Bangladesh Air Force)[13]

(Ghana Air Force)[14]

(Ghana Air Force)[14]

(Indian Air Force)[15]

(Indian Air Force)[15]

(Namibian Air Force)[16]

(Namibian Air Force)[16]

(Nigerian Air Force)[17]

(Nigerian Air Force)[17]

(Pakistan Air Force)

(Pakistan Air Force)

(Sri Lanka Air Force)[18]

(Sri Lanka Air Force)[18]

(Royal Air Force)[19]

(Royal Air Force)[19]

(Trinidad and Tobago Air Guard)[20]

(Trinidad and Tobago Air Guard)[20]

(Air Force of Zimbabwe)[21]

(Air Force of Zimbabwe)[21]

- pioneer of black civil rights in Britain, survived 33 missions during WWII when average life expectancy was 7 missions

Billy Strachan

 – member of Yugoslavian royal family

Alexander, Prince of Yugoslavia

 – former governor of the Bank of Canada

Gerald Bouey

Sir  – British author and inventor

Arthur C. Clarke

Sir  – British actor, served in RAF Intelligence during World War II

Christopher Lee

 – grandfather of Catherine, Princess of Wales and co-pilot of Prince Philip

Peter Francis Middleton

Sir  – British astronomer

Patrick Moore

 – British actor

Donald Pleasence

 – Bangladesh Air Force (Former Pakistan Air Force) pilot; honoured in Bangladesh with highest military honour for his heroic attempt to defect at the start of the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971.

Matiur Rahman

 – Ghanaian politician who twice served as his country's president

Jerry Rawlings

 – Prime Minister of Rhodesia (1964–1979)

Ian Smith

 – Leicester, England and British and Irish Lions winger[22]

Rory Underwood

 – Canadian sports columnist

Jim Vipond

 – Prime Minister of Australia (1972–1975)

Gough Whitlam

– Former RAF Navigator, Gulf War prisoner of war and motivational speaker.

John Nichol

- contributed to the Kindertransport humanitarian rescue.\

Sir Nicholas George Winton

William, Prince of Wales

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)