{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/air-force-act-1955-part-1-regulations-2007/schedule-1/part-1",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/air-force-act-1955-part-1-regulations-2007/schedule-1/part-1.json",
  "legislation": "uksi/2007/651",
  "legislation_title": "The Air Force Act 1955 (Part 1) Regulations 2007",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/air-force-act-1955-part-1-regulations-2007",
  "path": "schedule/1/part/1",
  "kind": "part",
  "number": "1",
  "heading": null,
  "text": "COMPETENT AIR FORCE AUTHORITIES TO AUTHORISE DISCHARGE\nItem No\nColumn 1\nColumn 2\nCompetent Air Force Authority\nReason for Discharge\nAirmen and Airwomen in Ground Trades Other Than Warrant Officer\nNon-Commissioned Aircrew Other Than Master Aircrew\nWarrant Officers\nMaster Aircrew\n(a)S.I.2007/650.\n1\nOn expiration of a non-pensionable engagement or at own request having given 18 months’ notice or on application for premature voluntary release before completing time for pension.\nThe Air Secretary\nThe Air Secretary\nThe Air Secretary\nThe Air Secretary\n2\nWith a view to Service pension, having completed time for pension.\nThe Air Secretary\nThe Air Secretary\nThe Air Secretary\nThe Air Secretary\n3\nAt own request with a view to Service pension or within 3 months of the end of engagement in order to take up civil employment.\nThe Air Secretary\nThe Air Secretary\nThe Air Secretary\nThe Air Secretary\n4\nDismissed.\nCourt Martial Sentence\nCourt Martial Sentence\nCourt Martial Sentence\nCourt Martial Sentence\n5\nFor misconduct or following civil conviction.\nCommander-in-Chief\nAir Force Board\nAir Force Board\nAir Force Board\n6\nFree as an indulgence\n(a) in the case of voluntary withdrawal from training by:\n1. officer cadets undergoing initial officer training\nCommandant RAF College and Director of Recruitment (RAF)\n2. trainee non-commissioned aircrew prior to the award of a flying badge.\nCommanding Officer\n(b) in the case of an airwoman because of pregnancy.\nThe Air Secretary\nThe Air Secretary\nThe Air Secretary\nThe Air Secretary\n(c) in the case of airmen who cannot be discharged under any other heading.\nThe Air Secretary\nThe Air Secretary\nAir Force Board\nAir Force Board\n(d) in the case of a directly entered List 1 medical trainee or a directly entered technician who is withdrawn from training or who fails on passing out and is unwilling to be remustered to, or trained for, another trade.\n(i) The Commander-in-Chief Personnel and Training Command\n(ii) The Air Secretary\n(e) in the case of an airman who is withdrawn from, or fails, trade training and cannot be offered training in another trade because he is unsuitable for trades in which there are vacancies or there are no vacancies in trades for which he is suitable.\nThe Air Secretary\n(f) in the case of an airman who elects to be discharged in lieu of compulsory transfer/\nremustering from a sensitive trade or who applies for discharge after failing to qualify for remustering at his rank level.\nThe Air Secretary\nAir Force Board\n(g) in the case of a person who is medically unfit for his/her present trade and has declined an offer of employment in a suitable alternative trade.\nThe Air Secretary\nThe Air Secretary\n(h) in the case of a person who, through circumstances beyond his/her control is medically unfit for the full range of duties in his/her trade or category and the individual considers that the resultant effect on his/her career prospects is unacceptable.\nThe Air Secretary\nThe Air Secretary\nThe Air Secretary\nThe Air Secretary\n(i) in the case of a person who is withdrawn from recruit training.\nCommanding Officer\n7\nCompassionate grounds.\nThe Air Secretary\nThe Air Secretary\nThe Air Secretary\nThe Air Secretary\n8\nFor irregular enlistment. Free on claiming discharge under section 18 of the 1955 Act before completing 3 months’ service.\nThe Air Secretary\nThe Air Secretary\n9\nOn appointment to a commission.\nCommanding Officer\nCommanding Officer\nCommanding Officer\nCommanding Officer\n10\nInvalided\n(a) below current air force medical standards.\nThe Air Secretary\nThe Air Secretary\nThe Air Secretary\nThe Air Secretary\n(b) physically unfit for air force service as aircrew.\nThe Air Secretary\nThe Air Secretary\n11\nNot likely to maintain the required air force medical standard\n(a) in the case of a person whose disabilities are discovered on medical examination within 21 days of attestation.\nCommanding Officer\nCommanding Officer\n(b) in the case of any person discharged within 6 months of attestation.\nCommanding Officer\nCommanding Officer\n12\nIn the case of a person found medically unsuitable for air force service as aircrew but not physically unfit for ground duties.\n(i) The Air Secretary\n(ii) Commanding Officer in the case of directly entered aircrew cadets\nThe Air Secretary\n13\nIn the case of a person found to be unsuited to a Service environment.\nThe Air Secretary\nThe Air Secretary\nAir Force Board\nAir Force Board\n14\nHaving given a false answer on attestation or having made a misstatement on enlistment.\nThe Air Secretary\nThe Air Secretary\n15\nFor inefficiency.\nCommander-in-Chief\nAir Force Board\nAir Force Board\nAir Force Board\n16\nServices no longer required\n(a) in the case of a person found to be unsuitable during recruit training.\nCommanding Officer\nCommanding Officer\n(b) in the case of a person found to be unsuitable in trade, category or rank.\nCommander-in-Chief\nAir Force Board\nAir Force Board\nAir Force Board\n(c) in the case of a person who cannot be allowed to remain in the Service because he/ she is unable to meet Service obligations through circumstances beyond his/her control or because of a permanently reduced medical employment standard for whom a medical discharge would not be appropriate.\nThe Air Secretary\nThe Air Secretary\nThe Air Secretary\nThe Air Secretary\n17\nNot likely to reach the standard required for air force service\n(a) in the case of officer cadets who fail initial officer training.\nCommandant RAF College and Director of Recruitment (RAF)\n(b) in the case of non-commissioned aircrew who fail training prior to the award of a flying badge.\nCommanding Officer\n18\nIn the case of aircrew found to be below the required standard for air force service other than those under item 19.\nThe Air Secretary\n19\nIn the case of non-commissioned aircrew who fail OCU training prior to giving productive aircrew service.\nThe Air Secretary\n20\nIn the case of a Warrant Officer/Master Aircrew who is reduced to the ranks and claims discharge under section 15 of the 1955 Act.\nThe Air Secretary\nThe Air Secretary\n21\nOn redundancy.\nThe Air Secretary\nThe Air Secretary\nThe Air Secretary\nThe Air Secretary\n22\nIn the case of a person who is surplus to requirements in a specific trade and rank.\nThe Air Secretary\nThe Air Secretary\nThe Air Secretary\nThe Air Secretary\n23\nStatutory right of recruits. Under regulation 8(1) of the Royal Air Force Terms of Service Regulations 2007.\nCommanding Officer\nCommanding Officer",
  "extent": null,
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f1",
      "text": "(a)S.I.2007/650."
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [
    {
      "type": "substituted",
      "affecting": "uksi/2008/1585",
      "affecting_title": "The Air Force Act 1955 (Part 1) (Amendment) Regulations 2008"
    }
  ],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2007/651/schedule/1/part/1",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T03:59:14.159559+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}