Sky pilots may be spared at sea (6)
I believe the answer is:
padres
'sky pilots' is the definition.
('padre' can be a synonym of 'sky pilot')
'spared at sea' is the wordplay.
'at sea' indicates an anagram.
'spared' anagrammed gives 'PADRES'.
'may be' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for padres that I've seen before include "Spared by clerics" , "Ministers" , "Fathers" , "Spared as military clergy" , "Army chaplains" .)