Royal Canadian Air Force (to 1968) | Canadian Forces (1968–1975) |
Air Command (1975–2011) |
Royal Canadian Air Force (from 2011) |
Air chief marshal / A/C/M | General / Gen |
French: maréchal en chef de l’Air |
Air marshal / A/M | Lieutenant-general / LGen |
French: maréchal de l’Air |
Air vice-marshal / A/V/M | Major-general / MGen |
French: vice-maréchal de l’Air |
Air commodore / A/C | Brigadier-general / BGen |
French: commodore de l’Air |
Group captain / G/C | Colonel / Col |
French: colonel d’aviation |
Wing commander / W/C | Lieutenant-colonel / LCol |
French: lieutenant-colonel d’aviation |
Squadron Leader / S/L | Major / Maj |
French: commandant d’aviation |
Flight Lieutenant / F/L | Captain / Capt |
French: capitaine d’aviation |
Flying officer / F/O | Lieutenant / Lt |
French: lieutenant d’aviation |
Pilot officer / P/O | Second lieutenant / 2Lt |
French: sous-lieutenant d’aviation |
Provisional pilot officer / P/P/O (prior to WWII)[78] | Officer cadet / OCdt |
Flight cadet / F/C (until 1962) |
Officer cadet / OCdt (after 1962) |
French: élève-officier |
Warrant officer, class 1 / WO1 | Chief warrant officer / CWO |
French: adjudant de 1re classe |
Warrant officer, class 2 / WO2 | Master warrant officer / MWO |
French: adjudant de 2e classe |
Flight sergeant / FS | Warrant officer / WO |
French: sergent de section |
Sergeant / Sgt | Sergent / Sgt |
French: sergent |
Corporal / Cpl | Master corporal / MCpl |
French: caporal | Corporal / Cpl |
| Note: MCpl is an appointment, not a rank |
Aircraftman | Aviator / Avr |
French: aviateur | Private / Pte (from 1968 to 2015) |
| The pre-1968 aircraftman classifications—LAC/LAW, AC1/AW1, and AC2/AW2—roughly align with the current Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) aviator classifications as follows: aviator (trained) corresponds to LAC/LAW, aviator (basic) to AC1/AW1, and aviator (recruit) to AC2/AW2. |