'Major' is related to 'Lieutenant' as a higher military rank to a junior rank. In the same way, 'Squadron Leader' is related to which lower Air Force rank?

Introduction / Context:
The relation is higher rank : distinctly lower rank. In many rank ladders, Major is well above Lieutenant (with Captain in between). Air Force ranks typically progress Pilot Officer → Flying Officer → Flight Lieutenant → Squadron Leader → Wing Commander → Group Captain. We must select the lower rank corresponding to Squadron Leader, mirroring the Major : Lieutenant gap.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Army example in stem: Major > Lieutenant.
• Air Force sequence (simplified): Pilot Officer < Flying Officer < Flight Lieutenant < Squadron Leader.

Concept / Approach:
To mirror a clear senior-junior relation (with possible one or two steps between), a good analog below Squadron Leader is Flying Officer (two steps down), parallel to how Lieutenant is below Major with an intermediate step (Captain).

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:
Flight Lieutenant (one below) could be argued; however, Lieutenant vs Major also has a gap larger than one step in many systems, so Flying Officer preserves a stronger junior analogy.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Group Captain / Wing Commander: Higher than Squadron Leader.
• Flying Attendant: Not a rank.
• Pilot officer: Lowest; overshoots the intended parallel for this stem in most exam keys.

Common Pitfalls:
Picking adjacent ranks without checking whether the original pair also had a multi-step gap.

Final Answer:
Flying Officer