135:
38:
1107:
439:
flight is typically composed of four aircraft, though two to six aircraft may also form an aircraft flight; along with their aircrews and ground staff. In some very specific examples, typically involving historic aircraft, a flight may contain as many as twelve aircraft, as is the case with the
705:
An alphabetic flight is an operational component of a flying or ground squadron, not an independent unit; alphabetic flights within a squadron normally have identical or similar functions, and are normally designated A, B, C, and so, on within the squadron. Flights in the USAF are generally
767:
and separation purposes, a "flight" of aircraft is simply two or more aircraft intentionally operating in close proximity to each other (typically in formation) under a designated "flight leader", without regard to military organisational hierarchy.
803:
became the basic independent unit of aviation within the French armed forces. An escadrille was a homogeneous unit, armed with a single type of aeroplane, with permanent flying and ground personnel attached, motorised transport and tent
780:(literal translations: "squad" or "small squadron") is the label given to flights in the air forces and navies of some French-speaking countries. While the term is frequently translated into English as "squadron", an
580:
On rare occasions, a flight may further be sub-divided into two sections, each containing two to three aircraft, which share ground staff with the other section, and are usually commanded by a flight lieutenant.
505:
In the case of a non-flying, or "ground flight", such as
Mechanical Transport Flight (MTF), Supply Flight, Accounts Flight, etc; no aircraft, and a roughly equivalent number of support personnel may be utilised.
525:
to describe a collection of aircraft (typically four in the early days of aviation), and dates back to around 1912. It has been suggested that the term was coined by technical sub-committee of the
592:(AAC), and other Commonwealth naval and army aviation arms also have flights. In the Fleet Air Arm, a flight could be as few as a single helicopter operating from a smaller ship.
799:, in 1912. They were initially a loosely defined group of aircraft capable of similar tasks, in most cases not more than six aeroplanes in each. During the war, the
729:
In USAF flying squadrons, the term flight also designates a tactical sub-unit of a squadron consisting of two or three elements (designated "sections" in
163:
277:
1132:
55:
946:(the English term is used), the third aircraft being released before reaching the target if none of the others had to be sent back earlier. The
1022:
741:, the equivalent organisational level of a flight is called a "platoon", while in U.S. Naval Aviation the flight is known as a "division".
950:(meaning chain) of three aircraft is a historic term. These terms refer to groups of aircraft only and are not used for ground units.
738:
510:
441:
121:
102:
737:), with each element consisting of two or three aircraft. The flight operates under the command of a designated flight leader. In
1127:
625:
285:
74:
589:
788:, also translated as "squadron", in the context of aviation is a much larger unit, comparable in status to a naval squadron).
553:, from where much air force terminology emanated, an aircraft flight, in the first decades of air forces, was commanded by a
59:
81:
679:(USAF) has three types of flights: numbered, alphabetic, and aircraft (which may be designated by alpha-numerics or name).
979:
683:
526:
156:
1097:
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1068:
818:
of 10 aircraft each: 14 of fighters, 50 of bombers and the rest reconnaissance, spotter and communications units. While
749:
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331:
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units of the U.S. Air Force, a flight is composed of ten unstaffed launch facilities, remotely controlled by a staffed
88:
48:
734:
70:
752:, containing two personnel. Five of these flights make up one missile squadron. The Air Force has a total of 45
715:
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authorised to have between 20 and 100 personnel, and are normally commanded by a company-grade officer (
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usually fielded between 10 and 12 aircraft. Hence they were roughly equivalent to a German
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mission; such as training or finance, though not large enough to warrant designation as a
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938:(squadron) comprises four aircraft and can be further subdivided into twoships called
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569:(SqnLdr); a formal rank distinct from a squadron commander; equivalent to an army
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269:
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565:. More recently, however, it has become common for a flight to be led by a
420:
399:
1015:
The illustrated history of the air forces of World War I & World War II
529:, which was examining the British air arrangements around the same time.
601:
313:
212:
17:
1063:
David F. Burg; L. Edward
Purcell (31 March 2004). "29 February 1916".
942:(meaning rout, two aircraft). The tactical formation, however, is the
987:
880:
805:
859:(10 aircraft in 1939). This was in contrast to air squadrons of the
920:" (the definitions of which also vary from one nation to another).
867:, which usually had 12–18 aircraft, divided into two to four
133:
636:, or other ground systems maintenance), support roles (including
616:. These ground flights may carry out operational roles (such as
753:
698:. Numbered flights are uncommon, and are usually only found in
600:
A ground flight within an air force is roughly equivalent to a
145:
760:
31:
834:
were formed into larger formations, for easier coordination.
663:
A flight is also a basic unit of guided missiles, such as
604:
in an army, and may be commanded by a flight lieutenant,
1095:
448:(RAF). In most usages, two or more flights make up a
62:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
784:was originally a smaller unit (whereas the French
980:Joubert de la Ferté, Air Chief Marshal Sir Philip
900:are the equivalent of the German language terms
682:A numbered flight is a unit with a unique base,
652:units), or purely administrative roles (such as
521:The use of the term "flight" originated in the
431:corps; and is usually subordinate to a larger
822:initially operated independently, during the
157:
8:
746:Minuteman intercontinental ballistic missile
714:), and/or a flight chief, usually a senior
561:in armies and other air forces, or a naval
509:The term "flight" is also a basic unit for
164:
150:
142:
122:Learn how and when to remove this message
874:Until 1949, between one and four French
452:. Foreign languages equivalents include
1102:
1005:
1003:
1001:
971:
549:(RAF), and the other air forces of the
7:
138:A flight of four RNZAF Strikemasters
60:adding citations to reliable sources
511:intercontinental ballistic missiles
204:
912:; and the English language terms "
419:within the larger structure of an
25:
442:Battle of Britain Memorial Flight
1105:
1017:. Galley Press. pp. 28–32.
36:
47:needs additional citations for
1133:Air force units and formations
648:, training and education, and
628:), engineering roles (such as
557:(FltLt), a rank equivalent to
174:Air force units and formations
1:
932:(meaning swarm) as part of a
795:were formed in France before
527:Committee of Imperial Defence
1069:University Press of Kentucky
71:"Flight" military unit
1149:
1013:Christopher Chant (1979).
888:have been subordinate to
395:
368:
349:
324:
296:
252:
223:
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759:Under U.S. military and
716:non-commissioned officer
1128:Flights (military unit)
1090:Australian War Memorial
884:. Since then, however,
677:United States Air Force
665:surface-to-air missiles
1065:Almanac of World War I
944:twoship with hot spare
724:senior master sergeant
634:mechanical engineering
584:The Royal Navy's (RN)
444:(BBMF) of the British
139:
750:launch control center
656:, infrastructure, or
137:
27:Type of military unit
1041:"French manœuvres".
861:British Commonwealth
646:supply and logistics
630:aircraft maintenance
575:lieutenant commander
551:British Commonwealth
533:Commonwealth flights
360:Command (USAAF/USAF)
56:improve this article
1049:: 262. 3 July 1913.
808:. By mid-1915, the
765:air traffic control
735:U.S. Naval Aviation
618:air traffic control
994:. pp. 14, 15.
960:Naval air squadron
763:common usage, for
739:U.S. Army Aviation
692:Numbered Air Force
378:Numbered air force
354:Tactical air force
140:
1024:978-0-86136-792-4
992:Thames and Hudson
984:The Third Service
814:had grown to 119
756:missile flights.
718:with the rank of
642:physical training
555:flight lieutenant
437:military aircraft
408:
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339:Aviation division
286:Aviation regiment
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16:(Redirected from
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671:American flights
622:airfield defence
314:Brigade aérienne
278:Régiment/Escadre
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720:master sergeant
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632:, ground-based
614:warrant officer
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567:squadron leader
547:Royal Air Force
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538:Aircraft flight
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1080:External links
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1071:. p. 104.
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924:German flights
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811:Armee de l'Air
791:The first air
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772:French flights
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700:basic training
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658:human resource
606:flying officer
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544:United Kingdom
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586:Fleet Air Arm
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73: –
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67:Find sources:
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45:This article
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1060:(in English)
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702:facilities.
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626:firefighting
599:
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427:service, or
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380:(USAAF/USAF)
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334:(USAAF/USAF)
332:Air Division
328:Air division
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54:Please help
49:verification
46:
29:
990:, England:
892:. As such,
886:escadrilles
876:escadrilles
843:escadrilles
832:escadrilles
820:escadrilles
816:escadrilles
797:World War I
793:escadrilles
588:(FAA), the
472:esquadrilha
464:escuadrilla
415:is a small
1122:Categories
966:References
909:Geschwader
855:or Polish
851:, Italian
830:(fighter)
801:escadrille
782:escadrille
778:escadrille
708:lieutenant
640:, dental,
563:lieutenant
476:Portuguese
455:escadrille
270:Geschwader
205:Escadrille
82:newspapers
1088:— at the
898:escadrons
890:escadrons
878:formed a
841:, French
731:U.S. Army
573:or naval
513:(ICBMs).
425:naval air
421:air force
400:Air Force
272:(Germany)
244:(Germany)
215:(Germany)
112:July 2010
1112:Aviation
982:(1955).
954:See also
828:chasseur
826:(1916),
786:escadron
696:squadron
667:(SAMs).
484:Romanian
450:squadron
433:squadron
429:army air
385:Air army
316:(France)
280:(France)
236:(France)
234:Escadron
228:Squadron
207:(France)
1092:website
935:Staffel
930:Schwarm
916:" and "
894:groupes
869:flights
857:eskadra
848:Staffel
837:During
806:hangars
712:captain
654:finance
638:medical
602:platoon
559:captain
542:In the
517:Origins
496:Schwarm
494:), and
492:Russian
480:patrulă
468:Spanish
242:Staffel
213:Schwarm
96:scholar
18:Eskadra
1098:Portal
1021:
988:London
903:Gruppe
881:groupe
853:gruppo
500:German
460:French
413:flight
387:(USSR)
341:(USSR)
199:Flight
98:
91:
84:
77:
69:
948:Kette
940:Rotte
918:group
690:, or
688:group
650:legal
624:, or
612:, or
571:major
488:zveno
356:(RAF)
303:(RAF)
301:Group
263:Group
259:(RAF)
103:JSTOR
89:books
1019:ISBN
914:wing
906:and
896:and
754:ICBM
733:and
684:wing
675:The
435:. A
307:Wing
257:Wing
75:news
863:or
776:An
761:FAA
744:In
722:or
710:or
502:).
486:),
478:),
470:),
462:),
58:by
1124::
1067:.
1045:.
1000:^
986:.
928:A
871:.
726:.
686:,
644:,
620:,
608:,
577:.
423:,
411:A
1100::
1047:5
1027:.
498:(
490:(
482:(
474:(
466:(
458:(
165:e
158:t
151:v
125:)
119:(
114:)
110:(
100:·
93:·
86:·
79:·
52:.
20:)
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