'Pilot' comes from the Greek 'pedon' (steering oar) and denoted a person who steered the ship. From there it took on the meaning as anyone who leads the way on a journey, like the pilot in a plane.
That usage is what gives rise to pilot holes, small holds drilled in woodworking to ease the job of a larger drill which will come later, pilot lights which maintain a small flame so that a larger flame can be ignited in the future, and pilot studies) which are small studies that predict the results of and guide planning of larger future studies.
A pilot episode fits naturally into that usage, it's a small/cheap/preliminary episode which may make a larger future run possible.
(That usage is what gives rise to pilot holes, small holds drilled in woodworking to ease the job of a larger drill which will come later, pilot lights which maintain a small flame so that a larger flame can be ignited in the future, and pilot studies) which are small studies that predict the results of and guide planning of larger future studies.
A pilot episode fits naturally into that usage, it's a small/cheap/preliminary episode which may make a larger future run possible.
Winthorpe Sim-Sala-Bim,
Thu 16 Jul 2015, 7:39,
archived)