From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishtest pilotˈtest ˌpilot noun [countable] TTAa pilot who flies new aircraft in order to test them
Examples from the Corpus
test pilot• He is a former test pilot and qualified on the Boeing 707.• In March the manufacturer's test pilot flew the aircraft for its annual inspection check flight.• I set off as a television test pilot and have ended up with my best-ever chance of winning the race.• The owner pilot accompanied the test pilot on this flight, but acted only as an observer.• The test pilot quietly waiting, literally for the paint to dry. 