Who is a pilot?

Answer 1

A pilot is someone with the specialist training and qualifications to manoeuvre a craft.

This includes, aircraft, hovercraft and ships.

In shipping, a Pilot is employed locally, to assist the ships captain in negotiating the confined waters of a port. He has local knowledge of a port and in most cases, vessels over a certain size, have to employ a pilot before entering port.

Everywhere apart from the Panama Canal, the pilot is there for assistance only and does not have full command of the ship. That remains the responsibility of the officer of the watch and the captain.