Jessica Cox

Born in 1983, Jessica Cox is part of a small group of women pilots,

only about 6% of non-commercial pilots in the US are women. But
what makes her stand out is that she is the world’s first armless, abled
aviator. Born without arms, Cox never let her disability become her
disadvantage. She learned at a young age how to use her feet as her
hands. She was frustrated and would act out because she did not
have arms. She confesses that she was a “bratty child,” and just could
not understand why she did not have arms when her older brother,
her younger sister, and her parents all had arms. At the beginning of
eight grade, after eleven years of wearing prosthetic arms, she
decided to be “the real Jessica” and ditch her arms. This was the start
of her new life and the start of new beginnings.

During recess, she loved swinging because it was something that she
could control and imagine flying over everything. This launched her
imagination and determination to become a pilot. She knew that if
she were able to become a pilot, she could have her freedom, and
literally fly over everyone. She started Tae Kwan Doe when she was
10, and advanced quickly, earning a black belt when she was 14. After
college, Cox continued practicing and met Patrick Chamberlain, who
she married in 2012.

Her journey to become a pilot started after she gave a speech to a

Rotary chapter where Robin Stoddard invited her to participate in his
nonprofit organization, Wright Flight. This was going to give her the
opportunity to fly with the organization. But before flying with them,
she had her first taste of being a pilot. During a trip to Mexico in a
small, single-engine plane, she had the opportunity to place her foot
on the yoke and feel the experience of being in the air. After that, her
childhood fear of planes vanished. The feeling of control, of the
freedom in the air, was more powerful than her fear and on that day,
she made a commitment to herself and pursued her dream of
becoming a pilot. This was not without obstacles though. Finding an
instructor was a challenge. A lot were uncomfortable teaching and
qualifying an armless pilot. Cox persevered and eventually found a
teacher who agreed. Cox refused to let her disabilities affect her
pilot's test and her instructor expected her to pass and successfully
complete all tasks without assistance. Her dream became a reality in
2008 when she took her first solo flight.
Cox is not only a pilot and advocate for women in aviation but also a
champion for people with disabilities. As a motivational speaker, she
has traveled across the world to inspire others. She is a fighter for
the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and became an advocate for
the adoption of the Convention of the Rights of Persons with
Disabilities (CRPD), which gives people with disabilities access to
education, health care, and the same advantages she had growing up.
She has become a Goodwill Ambassador with Humanity and
Inclusion and has traveled throughout Europe, Africa, and Australia.
Jessica Cox’s documentary, “Right Footed,” chronicles her story of
overcoming adversity and follows her over a period of two years as
she becomes a mentor for children with disabilities and their families.
She is also the author of “Disarm your Limits: The Flight Formula to
Lift You to Success and Propel You to the Next Horizon.”

The College Park Aviation Museum opened in 1988. It is located on

the grounds of the world's oldest continuously operating airport in
College Park, Maryland. The airport was founded in 1909 when Wilbur
Wright visited to give flight instruction to the first military aviators. 

Source:
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/blogs/smithsonian-affiliations/2021/03/04/
jessica-cox-flies-face-challenges