test pilot

NOUN

aircraft tester

Synonyms

WEAK

analyst test driver tester tryer-out

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

He attended test pilot school at Edwards Air Force Base, the site of many daring Armstrong flights and space shuttle landings, then served with the Navy’s Dust Devil test pilot squadron in China Lake, Calif.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 30, 2026

Victor Glover is a former US Navy fighter pilot and test pilot who was selected as a Nasa astronaut in 2013.

From BBC • Mar. 30, 2026

Reid Wiseman, a 50-year-old former naval aviator and test pilot who also formerly served as a deputy chief of NASA's astronaut office, will be in command.

From Barron's • Mar. 25, 2026

Crew-12 marks the first spaceflight for mission specialist Sophie Adenot and pilot Jack Hathaway, both of whom have test pilot backgrounds.

From Science Daily • Feb. 2, 2026

“We blow it up, experimenting with new fuels for our flying saucers. A Tralfamadorian test pilot presses a starter button, and the whole Universe disappears.”

From "Slaughterhouse-Five" by Kurt Vonnegut