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A civil air ensign is a flag (or a variation thereof) which represents civil aviation in a country or organization. Typically, it is flown from buildings connected with the administration of civil aviation and it may also be flown by airlines of the appropriate country. [1] A civil air ensign is the equivalent of the civil ensign which represents merchant shipping. Not all countries have civil air ensigns and those without usually fly their national flags instead.
| Flag | Country | Date | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Australia | 1948–present | Australian Civil Aviation Ensign | An ensign based on the British Civil Air Ensign with the Commonwealth Star and the five stars of the Southern Cross superimposed. [2] |
 | Fiji | 1970–present | Fijian Civil Air Ensign | An ensign based on the British Civil Air Ensign with the Fijian coat of arms superimposed. |
 | Ghana | 1957–present | Ghanaian Civil Air Ensign | A light blue ensign with the Flag of Ghana in the canton and the national star in the fly. |
 | Guyana | 1966–present | Guyanese Civil Air Ensign | An ensign based on the British Civil Air Ensign with the Flag of Guyana in the canton. |
 | Luxembourg | 1972–present | Roude Léiw | An ensign as the banner of arms of Luxembourg. Also used as the Luxembourgish civil ensign. [3] |
 | New Zealand | 1938–present | New Zealand Civil Air Ensign | An ensign based on the British Civil Air Ensign with the stars of the Southern Cross as seen from New Zealand in the fourth quarter |
 | Pakistan | 1951–present | Pakistani Civil Air Ensign | A light blue ensign with the Flag of Pakistan in the canton influenced by the British design. [4] |
 | United Kingdom | 1931–present | British Civil Air Ensign | A light blue ensign with the Union Flag in the canton and a dark blue Saint George's cross fimbriated white placed overall. |
 | Zambia | 1965–present | Zambian Civil Air Ensign | On a field of sky blue an alighting eagle gold set within a ring quartered in the colours of the Republic of Zambia thus. In the first quarter green, on the hoist side orange, in the fly side red and in the base black. |
| Flag | Entity | Date | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | International Civil Aviation Organization | 1993–present | International Civil Aviation Organization flag | A flag bearing the ICAO emblem similar in size, colour and general layout as the United Nations flag. [5] |
| Flag | Country | Date | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Australia | 1935–1948 | Australian Civil Aviation Ensign | An ensign based on the British Civil Air Ensign with the Commonwealth Star quarter and the five stars of the Southern Cross superimposed in gold. |
 | Canada | 1922–1923 | Canadian Civil Aviation Ensign | Light blue, in the dexter canton the Union and in the centre of the fly of the flag on a red shield edged with white, an albatross, white, with wings extended over three maple leaves conjoined on one stem, proper. Briefly used by the Air Board. |
 | Ghana | 1964–1966 | Ghanaian Civil Air Ensign | A light blue ensign with the Flag of Ghana in the canton and the national star in the fly. |
 | Greece | 1935–1978 | Greek Civil Air Ensign | A white cross on a blue field with a Greek roundel in the centre. Also used as the ensign of the Hellenic Air Force (1973–1978). |
 | South Africa | 1930s | South African Civil Air Ensign | An ensign based on the British Civil Air Ensign with the 1928 flag of South Africa in the canton. |
 | Soviet Union | 1961–1991 | Flag of the Aeroflot |
General aviation (GA) is defined by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) as all civil aviation aircraft operations except for commercial air transport or aerial work, which is defined as specialized aviation services for other purposes. However, for statistical purposes, ICAO uses a definition of general aviation which includes aerial work.
A national flag is a flag that represents and symbolizes a given nation. It is flown by the government of that nation, but can also be flown by its citizens. A national flag is typically designed with specific meanings for its colours and symbols, which may also be used separately from the flag as a symbol of the nation. The design of a national flag is sometimes altered after the occurrence of important historical events. The burning or destruction of a national flag is a greatly symbolic act.
The Union Jack, or Union Flag, is the de facto national flag of the United Kingdom. Although no law has been passed making the Union Flag the official national flag of the United Kingdom, it has effectively become such through precedent. The Union Flag was also used as the official flag of several British colonies and dominions before they adopted their own national flags. The flag continues to have official status in Canada, by parliamentary resolution, where it is known as the Royal Union Flag.
The national flag of Sweden consists of a yellow or gold Nordic cross on a field of light blue. The Nordic cross design traditionally represents Christianity. The design and colours of the Swedish flag are believed to have been inspired by the present coat of arms of Sweden of 1442, which is blue divided quarterly by a cross pattée of gold, and modelled on the Danish flag. Blue and yellow have been used as Swedish colours at least since Magnus III's royal coat of arms of 1275.
The ensign is a maritime flag that is used for the national identification of a ship. The ensign is the largest flag, generally flown at the stern (rear) of the ship while in port. In ports, depending on the ship's origin, it is sometimes identical with a jack on the bow of the ship. Jacks are more common on warships than on merchant ships.
The Red Ensign or "Red Duster" is the civil ensign of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It is one of the British ensigns, and it is used either plain or defaced with either a badge or a charge, mostly in the right half.
In British maritime law and custom, an ensign is the identifying flag flown to designate a British ship, either military or civilian. Such flags display the United Kingdom Union Flag in the canton, with either a red, white or blue field, dependent on whether the vessel is civilian, naval, or in a special category. These are known as the red, white, and blue ensigns respectively.
The several branches of the United States Armed Forces are represented by flags. Within the U.S. military, various flags fly on various occasions, and on various ships, bases, camps, and military academies.
The current flag of the Falkland Islands was adopted on 25 January 1999 and consists of a defaced Blue Ensign, with the Union Flag in the canton and the Falkland Islands coat-of-arms in the fly.
The national flag of Zambia was adopted upon independence on 24 October 1964, by the first Republican President Dr. Kenneth David Kaunda. Before that, Zambia was the British protectorate of Northern Rhodesia and used a defaced Blue Ensign as its flag.
A jack is a flag flown from a short jackstaff at the bow (front) of a vessel, while the ensign is flown on the stern (rear). Jacks on bowsprits or foremasts appeared in the 17th century. A country may have different jacks for different purposes, especially when the naval jack is forbidden to other vessels. The United Kingdom has an official civil jack; the Netherlands has several unofficial ones. In some countries, ships of other government institutions may fly the naval jack, e.g. the ships of the United States Coast Guard and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in the case of the US jack. Certain organs of the UK's government have their own departmental jacks. Commercial or pleasure craft may fly the flag of an administrative division or municipality at the bow. Merchant ships may fly a house flag. Yachts may fly a club burgee or officer's flag or the owner's private signal at the bow. Practice may be regulated by law, custom, or personal judgment.
The flag of Victoria is a British Blue Ensign defaced by the state badge of Victoria in the fly. The badge is the Southern Cross surmounted by an imperial crown, which is currently the St Edward's Crown. The stars of the Southern Cross are white and range from five to eight points with each star having one point pointing to the top of the flag. The flag dates from 1870, with minor variations, the last of which was in 1953. It is the only Australian state flag not to feature the state badge on a round disc.
The Canadian Red Ensign served as a nautical flag and civil ensign for Canada from 1892 to 1965, and later as the de facto flag of Canada before 1965. The flag is a British Red Ensign, with the Royal Union Flag in the canton, adorned with the shield of the coat of arms of Canada.
A French ensign is the flag flown at sea to identify a vessel as French. Several such ensigns have existed over the years as well as terrestrial flags based on the ensign motif.
The Royal Air Force Ensign is the official flag which is used to represent the Royal Air Force. The ensign has a field of air force blue with the United Kingdom's flag in the canton and the Royal Air Force's roundel in the middle of the fly.
The Australian Civil Air Ensign is an Australian flag that is used by Airservices Australia.
The flag of Australia, also known as the Australian Blue Ensign, is based on the British Blue Ensign—a blue field with the Union Jack in the upper hoist quarter—augmented with a large white seven-pointed star and a representation of the Southern Cross constellation, made up of five white stars. Australia also has a number of other official flags representing its people and core functions of government.
The British Civil Air Ensign is the flag that may be flown at civil aviation establishments in the United Kingdom and be displayed on UK-registered civil aircraft. It should be flown at civilian air facilities as the national flag in place of the Union Flag.
The New Zealand Civil Air Ensign is the flag that represents civil aviation in New Zealand.
Civil aviation is one of two major categories of flying, representing all non-military and non-state aviation, both private and commercial. Most countries in the world are members of the International Civil Aviation Organization and work together to establish common Standards and Recommended Practices for civil aviation through that agency.
