The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 10 letter word HIGH-FLIER
I've seen this crossword clue in Financial Times
H
I
G
H
-
F
L
I
E
R
More clues leading to the result HIGH-FLIER
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Star/pilot" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case star/pilot = high-flier.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does HIGH-FLIER mean?
HIGH-FLIER noun- A person who or a type of aircraft that flies at high elevations.
- An ambitious person, especially one who takes risks or has an extravagant lifestyle.
- A vertical pole used in commercial fishing to locate the beginning and end of a long fishing line.