test pilot

American  

noun

1. a pilot employed to test-fly newly-built aircraft.

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test pilot British  

noun

1. a pilot who flies aircraft of new design to test their performance in the air

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Etymology

Origin of test pilot

First recorded in 1925–30

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

test pilot

The agencies told him that Rush not only wasn’t an elite military test pilot, as he had claimed to the CIA, but he also held no pilot credentials at all.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 16, 2026

Air Force colonel with more than 27 years of experience as an instructor pilot, fighter pilot, and test pilot.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 11, 2026

He is a test pilot who logged 170 days in space and can step into any role needed on the mission.

From BBC ● Jun. 9, 2026

However, he noted that it’s a special breed that can handle the extremes of the test pilot job — and that it requires some serious risk management across the whole team.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 31, 2026

Each was required to be a qualified test pilot under forty years old with at least a bachelor’s degree.

From "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly