Jessica Cox. Photos and video: Reproduction Instagram @rightfooted
Jessica Cox defied all odds and proved that nothing is impossible when she became the first armless pilot in aviation history.
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Jessica Cox, 41, was born without arms; doctors never knew exactly why this happened, but her disability never stopped her from doing whatever she wanted. Cox has always been an active child and proved to be a fighter from a young age.
Despite curious and sometimes malicious glances, Cox always pushed forward to achieve her goals. She studied tap dancing and was part of the Girl Scouts, and yet she often heard that she could not participate in some activities because of her disability.
All this drove Cox to keep moving forward, and over the years she proved to everyone that nothing is impossible. Jessica, who used prosthetic arms until she was 14, realized that it was easier for her to use her feet for everything: from opening packages to playing piano and even driving.
For those who think that’s not enough, Cox is also a certified scuba diver and a third-degree black belt in taekwondo. So why not dream even higher?
In fact, becoming a pilot was not in her plans nor something she ever dreamed of; Cox never liked aircraft until the day she was invited by a pilot of a small plane to join him in the cockpit.
“The pilot took me to the front of the plane. The plane has dual controls. He took his hands off the controls and let me fly. Even if something is scary for you, it’s important to face it,” Jessica recalled in an interview. And it was on that flight that Cox decided her new goal.
According to the website Bored Panda, after graduating with a degree in psychology from the University of Arizona, Jessica began taking all necessary steps to fulfill her dream. One of the first challenges was to find out which model of airplane was most comfortable for her to operate with her feet, and the chosen one was a single-engine plane known as Ercoupe.
“I had several flight instructors and collaborators in my training to figure this out. It was a three-year process of trial and error to find out what would work.” It wasn’t easy, but Cox was ready to face all challenges and also the skepticism of many.
“There were a lot of questions. There were many concerns. There were many who doubted whether this was possible.”
For those who didn’t believe, Jessica proved that with focus and determination, nothing is impossible and in October 2008, she was certified by the Federal Aviation Administration. Now she flies airplanes with one foot on the joystick and the other on the throttle.
Jessica Cox hopes to inspire others not to be afraid to dream big. She and a team of volunteers are working to test various customized seats, flight controls, and even doors that could make aviation more accessible to people with disabilities.
“Living my life the way I do has a tremendous impact on others. I had role models and leaders. And because I had them, it is now my responsibility to be the same for the next generation.”
Photos and video: Reproduction Instagram @rightfooted. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
