Pilot

In television, a pilot is a first, extra long (often twice the normal length, but sometimes longer or shorter) episode of a television series. The pilot is intended to get the public interested in the series, and to set the general background of the story.

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In telecommunication, a pilot is a signal, usually a single frequency, transmitted over a communications system for supervisory, control, equalization[?], continuity, synchronization, or reference purposes.

Note: Sometimes it is necessary to employ several independent pilot frequencies. Most radio relay[?] systems use radio or continuity pilots of their own but transmit also the pilot frequencies belonging to the carrier frequency multiplex system.

Source: from Federal Standard 1037C and from MIL-STD-188

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A pilot is someone who guides ships through the waters near a harbour.

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A pilot is also someone who flies a plane, see Aviator.

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Many appliances that use natural gas as their fuel utilize a pilot light, which is a small outlet of gas kept continually burning and generally used to light the larger burners on the appliance.