Leading aircraftman

A leading aircraftman, often called LAC, is a job rank used in many air forces around the world. This rank started with the Royal Air Force and is used in countries that have historical British influence [/w/2]. It is a step above the rank of aircraftman and a step below senior aircraftman.

In the Royal Air Force, the job of leading aircraftman was changed to air specialist (class 2), called AS2, in July 2022. This change helped make job titles clearer for everyone. Many air forces still use the name leading aircraftman today.

History

The rank of leading aircraftman began in the Royal Air Force when it was created in 1918. It took the place of a similar rank called air mechanic 1st class from the Royal Flying Corps. At first, it was just a job title, but on January 1, 1951, it became an official rank, even though it does not involve supervision.

Australia

Leading aircraftman is a rank in the Royal Australian Air Force. In this air force, it is the highest rank for aircraftman and uses a single chevron instead of a propeller symbol.

Canada

In the Royal Canadian Air Force, there was a rank called leading aircraftman until 1968. After that year, it was replaced by the army rank of private following a change called unification. Later, in 2015, the rank of private was changed to aviator (basic).

New Zealand

In the Royal New Zealand Air Force, this special job title is given after three years of service or when someone finishes a special training course, whichever happens first.

There is also a title called Leading air cadet (LAC) in the New Zealand Air Training Corps. It uses a special badge but isn’t really a job rank. Many units think of it as a very first step into leadership. This title can be given to cadets who have gone to at least thirty meetings or have been in a unit for one year. It is usually given to cadets who show they are good leaders.