Meet Jessica Cox, the world’s first licensed armless pilot

Jessica Cox was born in Arizona in 1983. She is the world’s first licensed armless pilot, as well as the first armless black-belt in the American Taekwondo Association. She was born without arms due to a rare birth defect.

Cox became the first pilot with no arms, proving you don’t need ‘wings’ to fly. She is not your average pilot. She learned how to fly a plane with her feet. The psychology graduate can write, type, drive a car, brush her hair and talk on her phone simply using her feet.

She is also a former dancer and has a no-restrictions driving license, she flies planes and she can type 25 words a minute. She graduated from the University of Arizona in 2005 with a bachelor’s degree in psychology  and a minor in communications.

Cox has not used prosthetic arms since she turned 14. Using her feet as most people use their hands, she is able, among other things, to drive an unmodified car with an unrestricted license, to type on a keyboard at 25 words per minute, to pump her own gas, and to put in and remove her contact lenses^. She is also a certified SCUBA diver.

Jessica Cox flew in a single engine airplane for the first time via Wright Flight in 2005. Cox earned her pilot’s certificate on October 10, 2008, after three years of training, and is qualified to fly a light-sport aircraft to altitudes of 10,000 feet. She received her flight training through an Able Flight scholarship and soloed under the instruction of Parrish Traweek.

Cox’s Sport Pilot Certificate is for an ERCO 415-C Ercoupe which the Federal Aviation Administration has designated a light sport aircraft. Designed in the 1940s, the Ercoupe was built without rudder pedals. Instead, the rudder is interconnected with the ailerons through the yoke. This unique design allows Cox to control the airplane with one foot controlling the yoke while the other foot controls the throttle.

At the age of 10, Cox began training in taekwondo at a school in her home town of Sierra Vista. At the age of 14, she earned her first black belt. While in college at the University of ArizonaCox restarted her taekwondo training at an American Taekwondo Association club on campus.

In an effort to help future students without the use of arms the instructors created an entire training curriculum by modifying the standard material from the ^ATA. For example, instead of a punch Cox executes a knee strike. Cox has since gone on to earn her Second and Third Degree black belts in the ATA. Cox has also earned the title of 2014 Arizona State Champion in forms. It should be noted that she did not compete in a special abilities ring.

Cox works as a motivational speaker and has shared her message in 20 different countries. In 2014 Cox competed in the 40 mile segment of El Tour de Tucson.

In 2015 Cox published an autobiographical self-help book, Disarm Your Limits in order to inspire people to overcome their own challenges through the lessons she has learned in her life.

Cox is the subject of the documentary Right Footed. The film is directed by Emmy Award winning filmmaker Nick Spark. The documentary chronicles Cox’ life, mentorship, humanitarian trips to Ethiopia and the Philippines, as well as her efforts to pass the CRPD in the US Senate.

The patented invention of a “Lower Extremity Vehicle Navigation Control System”, which allows people to drive a car without the use of their upper body, by the Emirati engineer Reem Al Marzougi was inspired by Cox.