the operator or pilot of an airplane

A person who flies or can fly aircraft; a pilot.

someone who operates an aircraft

Pilot or crew member of an aircraft.

You will soon be flying high socially if you dreamed of seeing an aviator.

An aviator is a person who flies aircraft for pleasure or as a profession. The word is normally applied to pilots, but it can be applied more broadly, for example to include people such as wing-walkers who regularly take part in an aerobatic display sequence. The word aviatrix is sometimes used of women flyers, reflecting the word's Latin root.