Traveling As, Travel + Leisure’s Traveling column, features travelers who share their unique experiences. We talked with Jessica CoxThe Experimental Aircraft Association is working with the world’s only licensed armless pilot to build the world’s very first foot-controlled aircraft., The Impossible Airplane. She is also a motivational keynote speaker who encourages people not to view disabilities as an inability. Here’s her story…
I was born with no arms, and it wasn’t for any medical reason. They never developed in utero, and it’s still a mystery to this day as to what exactly caused it—it was just one of those fluke things. It was a gift because I had all my life to discover it. In a way, it was a gift, because you can start fresh if that’s what you were born with.
I knew from the beginning that there were no arms and why not use my legs? The toes and the feet are made of the same kind of bone as our fingers and hands, so replacing them was easy.
Quite honestly, I didn’t realize how different I am until I left the community. But as soon as I moved out, I became constantly aware of my differences. This was very difficult and it took time to adjust, especially with the stares.
Over 11 years I tried my best to conform to that standard, blending in with prosthetics limbs. They never felt like they were my friends, so I thought, why not let them go? At the age of 14, I took that decision. I gave up my arms to be a different person. It didn’t happen overnight and it wasn’t always easy.
Jessica Cox
From a young age, I was devoted to travel. My mom taught me that. She is Filipino and immigrated in the U.S. during the 1970s. She was already a nurse in her home country, and they invited to come here when we needed nurses. She fell in Love with America and met my Father at an International Party. They couldn’t have been more different. He is from the Deep South. They had a wonderful family of three children who instilled a love for the best of both and a respect for both.
My first international trip was to Australia. Philippines When I was 8, it changed my life. The knowledge that there is a world outside of my own was life-changing, and never stopped. I’ve spoken in 28 different countries and traveled to many more.
I’ll say it now: It is much more difficult to travel for someone who does not have arms. Universal design—that is, designing products and environments to be usable by all—is something most people are aware of, but every person with a disability has individual needs and preferences.
For example, I’m not in need of an ADA-compliant room. It’s easier to reach items with my legs because everything is located lower. There are some aspects of the sink that I don’t like. For example, a roll-under sink is a disservice, because I can’t use my feet to wash my hands if I am seated at the counter. The assumption is that I require an ADA room. But, it all depends on the size of the room.
Every person is unique, so we must treat them as such. Since 18 years, I have been sharing a message with people: “Think outside the shoes.”
Jessica Cox
Traveling has helped me overcome a fear I had: flying. When I was a kid, the tension I felt when I flew commercially would make me take medicine.
Many people fear not being in control. The fear of unknown was what I felt. You can be scared if you don’t know how to fly and take Hollywood’s example of what will happen if the flight isn’t smooth. In my early twenties, just out of college I was asked to fly in a small aircraft. I thought this was my chance to conquer this fear.
As I became more familiar with aviation and aerodynamics I realized that I didn’t need to be afraid. If you lose an engine, you just glide down to the ground and find somewhere to land—it’s not like the plane falls out of the sky. Turbulence will happen.
You can’t compare the two. It’s a completely different experience to hold on to the controls and see all that goes into flying an airplane. This is a different experience than being a passenger.
I went up for my first flight in the cockpit of a small plane—a Cessna, typically a starter plane for beginners. The plane had dual controls so you could fly it either from the left or right seat. Bill, the PIC (pilot in command), was seated in the left side. I sat in the right seat. He said to me, “Why not try flying?”
I didn’t want to be the kind of person who would say no. So I removed my shoes and brought my toes up to the yoke (the steering wheel). I grabbed it between my second and big toe.
Bill was to my left, and his hands were off the controls. He said: “You’re the one flying the aircraft!” It hit me at that moment—I wanted to do everything I could to become a pilot.
When you overcome your fears, you get everything you’ve ever wanted on the other side of that—and so I became the first licensed pilot to fly a plane with her feet.
I am a certified sport pilot for light sport aircraft. I can fly one passenger to an altitude up to 10,000 feet during daylight. The “$100 hamburger” is what they call it because it involves going to a neighboring airport for breakfast and then returning.
The first solo flight I took was the most thrilling. My instructor said to me, “Take it up and fly around.” The feeling of accomplishment when I realized that I was doing it myself was wonderful. You feel empowered, as if you are in control of your own life.
There have also been moments of challenge that they refer to as a “near-miss”. These occurrences sometimes happen among students. In my case, another student pilot was not making the radio calls in the pattern correctly. Only because I had GoPros mounted on my plane did we know it was a close-call.
When I fly small planes to these airfields, older white men are usually there. You do feel like you’re in the minority. The exterior makes people think that you cannot do it. I’ve developed a thicker hide and have said, “Yes I can.” When I showed them my ability to control an airplane with my feet, they said, “Oh you’re a Pilot.”
Jeff Hamilton/EAA
Every year, Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) The host world’s largest airshow—AirVenture In Oshkosh Wisconsin. I have been going to Oshkosh, Wisconsin since 2009. It’s like an airplane party.
Most planes were designed with people who have four legs in mind. I typically fly an Ercoupe designed in the 1930s and manufactured in the 1940s. The only airplane built without rudder controls. It can be flown by anyone with two legs, as the rudders and ailerons are connected. This is the only reason why I am flying today.
I’ve been putting my feet through the wringer on an airplane designed for hands. You can imagine that comfort compromises are made. My feet are high up and I am not sitting comfortably.
We’re currently working on a new pioneering project. EAA Chapter 898Bob Newman is spearheading a project to build the world’s first experimental plane that can only be flown using your feet. We’ve spent the last four year in Toms River New Jersey building a four-seat RV-10 aircraft, called The Impossible Airplane The I’m Possible Airplane will be the name of the plane until it’s completed.
My nonprofit is building it. Rightfooted Foundation InternationalOur programs are aimed at helping people with disabilities and those born without arms. Aviation is one of four programs we offer. One of our programs is to provide a tool for people who are unable to dress themselves. This can mean the difference between dependence and independence.
We have some big goals. I hope to be the first woman to fly around in a small plane in 2028. Around the globe, there are many places where being disabled is seen as a serious stigma. Children are hidden at home. People with disabilities don’t get the chance to attend school. People with disabilities are not allowed to work. Some aren’t considered as good candidates for marriages or family life. We want to change that. This flight around world will show that, if I am able to fly a plane using my feet, then we shouldn’t hold people back with disabilities.
If you’ve never seen the world, your perspective is limited. Once you realize there’s so much more out there, you open up a whole new world of possibilities.
It’s great to travel by myself, not just because I get to see another place but also because it allows me to experience the joy of doing something new. international solo trip. Even simple tasks like carrying luggage require creative solutions. When you don’t have anyone to lean upon, it can be a little scary. However, when you are in a challenging situation, your best self will emerge.
In March of last year, I was sitting in economy+ on a long flight to Europe. The table was not available for me to eat my meal. The flight attendant thoughtfully brought out a huge tray—the one that holds meals in the top part of the cart—and put it on the floor in front of me, and we made a makeshift table. Solo travel is about celebrating these moments.
It’s not true that people with disabilities don’t enjoy the luxury of traveling. I encourage people not to shy away from things that scare and embrace them instead. They can become great experiences. It is possible to change your life if you face your fears.
