Crossword Genius

Check on pilot, one on board? (8)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

chairman

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'check on pilot one on board?' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both to do with social activities as well as being verbs in their base form.
Perhaps you can see an association between them that I don't see?

'check on pilot' is the wordplay.
'check' becomes 'ch' (abbreviation).
'on' means one lot of letters go next to another (in a down clue, letters appear on others).
'pilot' becomes 'airman' (someone who flies aircraft).
'ch'+'airman'='CHAIRMAN'

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for chairman that I've seen before include "man in charge" , "Committee, club, head" , "Officer who presides at meetings" , "Top person on a committee - this one's male" , "One in charge of a meeting" .)

I've seen this clue in The Telegraph.
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