test pilot
noun
: a pilot who specializes in putting new or experimental airplanes through maneuvers designed to test them (as for strength) by producing strains in excess of normal
Examples of test pilot in a Sentence
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Human test pilots have a bit of a reputation thanks to popular culture—from The Right Stuff to Top Gun: Maverick, the profession has been portrayed as a place for loose cannons with a desire to go fast and break the rules.
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Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 19 Apr. 2024
Dwight was a young Air Force test pilot in 1961 when he was selected as the first Black astronaut candidate.
—Briley Lewis, Scientific American, 24 June 2024
Wilmore and Williams, both former US Navy test pilots, will take over manual control of Starliner at several points during the test flight.
—Stephen Clark, Ars Technica, 5 June 2024
Just a few weeks ago, the former Air Force test pilot became the oldest person in space.
—Ken Makin, The Christian Science Monitor, 13 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for test pilot 
Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 19 Apr. 2024
Dwight was a young Air Force test pilot in 1961 when he was selected as the first Black astronaut candidate.
—Briley Lewis, Scientific American, 24 June 2024
Wilmore and Williams, both former US Navy test pilots, will take over manual control of Starliner at several points during the test flight.
—Stephen Clark, Ars Technica, 5 June 2024
Just a few weeks ago, the former Air Force test pilot became the oldest person in space.
—Ken Makin, The Christian Science Monitor, 13 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for test pilot
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'test pilot.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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“Test pilot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/test%20pilot. Accessed 26 Jul. 2024.
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