One might lead a meeting about the oddly abandoned pilot (8)
I believe the answer is:
chairman
'one might lead' is the definition.
(I know this)
'a meeting about the oddly abandoned pilot' is the wordplay.
'a meeting' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'about' becomes 'c' (abbreviation for 'circa').
'oddly abandoned' means one should take alternating letters (letters in odd-numbered positions removed).
'pilot' becomes 'airman' (someone who flies aircraft).
The alternating letters of 'the' are 'h'.
'c'+'h' is 'ch'.
'ch'+'airman'='CHAIRMAN'
(Other definitions for chairman that I've seen before include "official in authority" , "Person in charge" , "Casting voter" , "Presiding male at meetings" , "Boss" .)