box office

n. jocularly, the cockpit of an airplane piloted by a woman. Subjects: English, Aviation, Slang

Editorial Note: The joke quoted in the second 2002 citation is widespread and has been recycled by a number of people who have claimed it for their own or published it in joke books. Etymological Note: “Box office” mirrors “cockpit,” since “box” is slang for “vagina” and “cock” is slang for “penis,” although the “cock” in cockpit is etymologically related to “rooster.”

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Citations: 1995 [Scot Pederson] Usenet: rec.aviation.piloting (Aug. 1) “Re: The 99’s”: Womem shouldn’t fly. Why do you think they call it a cock-pit and not a box office. 1995 [Ralph Ricks] Usenet: rec.aviation.misc (Dec. 23) “Re: Airliners land at uncontrolled airport?”: Most airliner cockpits (box office if it’s a female crew) were designed back in the fifties when traffic was not a serious consideration. 2002 [Alfred Lehmberg] UFO UpDates Mailing List (Feb. 24) “Re: Silent Black Helicopters—Lehmberg”: There are swept tip designs that lessen the factors contributing to noise and some noise canceling technology has been tested _inside_ the cockpit (or “box office” if it’s a female crew [g]). 2002 Richard Harter’s World (July 1) “Marvin’s nightmare flight”: “Yes,” said the attendant, “In fact the entire crew is female.”…“We no longer call it the cockpit. Now it’s the box office.” 2003 [craig] inluminent (Mar. 7) “Hooters Air?”: They don’t sit in a “cockpit” though, they sit in the “box office” Just goes to show, women will do anything to promote themselves, just like guys. 2005 [Capt. Paul Skinback] @ United Kingdom PPRuNe Forums (Unite) (Sept. 26) “the word ‘flight deck’ vs. ‘cockpit’”: Flew with someone the other day and she referred to it as a box office. 2007 maddog2840 @ Las Vegas, Nevada F-16.net (June 21) “USAF Slang”: Box Office: Formerly known as the Cockpit. Renamed by Female Pilots.

Posted 27 Jun 07 | Permalink | Tell a Friend