1989
Ian Cross sets up Pilot Productions.
1990
Pilot Productions produces “Extras” a pan-European co-production with the BBC, SVT, TVE as well as others.
1991
Pilot Productions opens an office in Budapest, Hungary and produces “Central Express”, an Eastern European current affairs series for RAI 2 Italy and France 3.
1992
Pilot Productions produces “Extreme East” and “Extreme Asia”, youth culture, music and art series.
1993
The production of the Lonely Planet series begins.
1994
Pilot Productions produces the first series of Lonely Planet for Channel 4 and Discovery networks.
1995
Pilot Productions produces their first music CDs.
1996
Pilot Productions produces their first Music Travel Video shows.
1997
Lonely Planet wins 6th American Cable Ace Award.
1998
Pilot Productions sets up its in-flight sales division.
1999
Pilot Productions sets up in Los Angeles for the production of Treks in a Wild World.
2000
Pilot re-brands Lonely Planet series as Pilot Guides (also to become known later as Globe Trekker).
Planet Food is launched.
2001
Pilot Productions sets up their own in-house distribution division.
Globe Trekker Specials are produced – a series of guides that is both authoritative and entertaining, bringing together some of the world’s best travel experiences.
The Great Festivals of the World themed travel guide book is published.
2002
Globe Trekker is launched on PBS network in the U.S.
555 Productions Inc. in Los Angeles is established, running and overseeing the video, DVD and CD production and distribution arm of the business in the Americas.
2003
Pilot Productions establishes an office in Singapore.
Bazaar is produced, the ultimate guide to shopping in the global village.
2004
Ian Wright Live is released, where the man himself takes an offbeat, humorous look at the world of travel.
Globe Guides is released, a monthly guide of where to go and what to do throughout the year around the planet.
Globe Trekker is in its 10th series and proves to be as popular as ever.
2005
Pilot Productions continue to produce a wealth of programmes – such as Adventure Golf, the second series of Planet Food, and Series 11 of Globe Trekker.
2006
Series 12 of Globe Trekker is produced, plus Series 2 of Globe Guides and a new show – World Café Asia – are released.
2007
World Café Asia wins awards for Best Host at Asia TV Awards.
Pilot produces a 4th series of Treks in a Wild World for National Geographic International.
Globe Trekker Series 12 completed.
Pilot commences production of Metropolis, an architecture and travel series.
Globe Trekker wins 4th Programming Excellence Award from American Public Television.
2008
Pilot produces 13th season of Globe Trekker.
2009
Pilot produces World Café Middle East.
2010
Pilot produces first historic mini series: Ottomans V Christians.
2011
World Café Middle East wins Best Entertainment Program at Asia TV Awards. Pilot produces Historic Walks.
2012
Globe Trekker celebrates it’s 20th year of making travel programmes.
2013
Pilot produces Tough Trains.
2014
Pilot produces the 17th series of Globe Trekker.
2015
Pilot programming available across a range of digital platforms: YouTube, iTunes, Vimeo, Roku.
2016
Pilot produces Tough Boats series.
Production on Empire Builders series begins.
Launch of new e-commerce shop.
2017
Pilot produces Tough Trucks series.
Pilot launches Study Guides on pilotguides.com
2017
Pilot continues to produce Tough Trucks, Adventure Golf and Empire Builders.
2018
Pilot continues to produce Adventure Golf series and releases The Lost World of Joseph Banks and A Short History of the Moors episodes.
2019
Pilot produces 3-part series Ultimate Blitzkrieg – WW2 Battle of Crete.
2020
Pilot produces “Hidden Algeria”, “Hope and Fear: How Pandemics Changed the World” and “A Short History of the English Garden”.