Captain

Captain is both a nautical term and a military rank. The word came to English via French from the Latin capitaneus ("chief") which is itself derived from the Latin word for "head" (caput).

Civil Aviation

In commercial aviation, a pilot in command of an aircraft is often referred to as a "captain." This practice began with the flying boats of the 1930s and quickly spread to most of the airline industry. Most airline captains wear uniforms with four bars on the sleeve and shoulderboard (imitating the rank basis of the rank insignia in both the US and Royal Navies) although this varies from company to company. Traditionally, they sit in the left hand seat of a fixed wing aircraft, and on the right in a helicopter.

Related Topics:
Pilot - Aircraft - Airline

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See also: military rank and comparative military ranks

Related Topics:
Military rank - Comparative military ranks

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