Aircraftman (AC), or Aircraftwoman (ACW), is the lowest rank in the Royal Air Force 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 presently a training rank only and no airmen in productive service hold this rank. Aircraftman do not wear any rank insignia.
History[edit | edit source]
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").
Usage[edit | edit source]
Royal New Zealand Air Force[edit | edit source]
In the Royal New Zealand Air Force, the rank is known as "Aircraftsman", regardless of the person's sex, in line with Seaman in the Royal New Zealand Navy.
Royal Air Force[edit | edit source]
In RAF slang, Aircraftmen are sometimes called "erks". The word "erk" is perhaps a phonetic spelling of an East Londoner's pronunciation of the abbreviation, "airc".[citation needed]
The spelling "Aircraftsman", despite being seen even in official documents, is incorrect in the RAF.
See also[edit | edit source]
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