Dirigible pilot (8)
I believe the answer is:
aeronaut
<span class="explanation-format__ClueExplanation">'<span class="explanation-format__original">dirigible pilot</span>' is the definition.<br/ ><span class="explanation-format__explanation">(I've seen this in another clue)</span><br/ ><br/ >This is the entire clue.<br/ ></span>
(Other definitions for aeronaut that I've seen before include "Pilot, flier" , "Balloonist" , "Pilot - Eton aura (anag)" , "Early traveller by air" , "Someone who operates an aircraft" .)