Wiktionary
n. 1 A navigator who accompanies the pilot of an aircraft. 2 A slang term used mainly in the military, any person who fly's in an aircraft but does not actually pilot the aircraft. Examples: Flight engineer, Combat Systems Officer, etc.
Usage examples of "backseater".
Any backseater worthy of the name backed his pilot up, no matter what.
The backseater was located and picked up by the SAR helo from Shiloh .
After all, short of opting to punch out, backseaters had absolutely no control over what the Tomcat did with them in the air other than the ultimate veto option--the ejection seat handle.
Then, instinctively doing her job as backseater, she turned and looked over her shoulder to check their tail.
In this artificial world, they saw what they saw regardless of where they were, though the backseater sitting next to him had two additional instruments.
With that, Richter eased way back on the throttles and nosed over, diving and cooling his abused engines, watching the ground while his backseater followed the progress of the missiles.
It was the Mediterranean, and as soon as he was hauled aboard, he asked, "Did you find my backseater?
Your backseater, the other part of your team, who helped keep you both alive.
Behind him, his backseater, a new guy he'd never even had a chance to talk to, muttered vector information and guidance.
Skeeter howled, yanked back on the yoke, not even bothering to warn his backseater about the maneuver.
He heard the backseater breathing raggedly over the ICS, and said, "What's the matter, man?
The pilot boosted the volume on the VHF and waited as the backseater called again.
Once more the backseater called, and this time a voice came back almost instantly.
I returned the salute, checked on my backseater, then braced my back and head against the seat.
I had my backseater, Lieutenant Commander Kennedy, under close control.