Preliminary plans for training aviators? (5,7)

I believe the answer is:

pilot schemes

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'preliminary' is the definition.
I don't know anything about this answer so I cannot judge whether this works.

'plans for training aviators?' is the wordplay.
'plans' becomes 'schemes' (scheming is a kind of planning).
'for' means one lot of letters go next to another (I've seen this in other clues).
'training aviators?' becomes 'pilot' (I can't explain this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
'schemes' after 'pilot' is 'PILOT SCHEMES'.

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I've seen this clue in The Globe and Mail.

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