Hard base pilot's exploited as landing pad (8)

I believe the answer is:

helistop

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'landing pad' is the definition.
I know nothing about this answer so I cannot judge whether it can be defined by this definition.

'hard base pilot's exploited' is the wordplay.
'hard' becomes 'h' (abbreviation used in pencil classifications).
'base' becomes 'e' (Euler's number - base of natural logarithms).
'exploited' indicates an anagram.
'e'+'pilots'='epilots'
'epilots' anagrammed gives 'elistop'.
'h'+'elistop'='HELISTOP'

'as' is the link.

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I've seen this clue in The Independent.

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