Why do we call it a "pilot" episode?

Most people assume the answer begins with television. It doesn't.

In the very first voyage aboard The Moving Archive, Captain Horatio Carette and Athena investigate the surprising history of one of television's most familiar words. Their journey takes them across more than five centuries—from the bustling harbour of Bristol in 1497, to powered flight at College Park Airfield, and finally to the television studios of 1950s Hollywood.

Along the way, they discover that the word pilot has never really been about ships, aircraft, or television. Instead, it has always represented something much deeper: guiding others through uncertainty.

Join the crew as they answer the signal, travel the Story Stream, and uncover the remarkable story that came before the series began.

In This Episode

• Discover the original meaning of the word pilot.
• Visit Bristol Harbour in 1497 and witness the work of a harbour pilot.
• Explore how aviation adopted the term during the early twentieth century.
• Learn why television producers call a first episode a pilot.
• See how the idea of a pilot continues to shape the modern world.