a person who operates the flying controls of an aircraft

a strike by local airline pilots

the crash had been due to pilot error

a television or radio programme made to test audience reaction with a view to the production of a series

he returns to our TV screens in a pilot for a Channel 4 sitcom

an unmodulated reference signal transmitted with another signal for the purposes of control or synchronization

done as an experiment or test before being introduced more widely

a pilot scheme for training workers

be the pilot of (an aircraft or ship)

he piloted the helicopter from Paris to Deauville

test (a scheme, project, etc.) before introducing it more widely

one-day workshops for part-time staff were piloted in June