Why is it called the Cockpit?

[yortsed snacilbuper]

[Lilyhoney]

1. Bookmarking for later. Nt

[PJMcK]

2. Boats had cockpits long before planes existed

This presentation is a little tongue-in-cheek, isn't it?

Sailboats and rowboats had cockpits thousands of years ago. In fact, the cockswain the airplane pilot refers to was the specialist who handled the small boat (a cockboat or tender) used to transfer personnel and goods from the main ship to the shore (or other boats).

Of course, if you're gunning for the "Mile High Club," the cockpit is something else...

[Laffy Kat]

7. He goes into that in the explanation.

I thought I was interesting.

[Skittles]

3. pilots being cocky

[marylandblue]

4. Because it has a joystick

[flotsam]

5. I assumed it was a bastardized french word

since so many aviation terms have french origin, but I guess I'll buy this explanation.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

6. Airlines mostly call it the flight deck now because of the connotations of "cockpit."

Flight deck is the term once used by the RAF for the separate, upper platform in the old flying boats where the pilot and co-pilot sat.