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Jessica Cox (right) stands beside the nearly completed 'Impossible Airplane' with a member of the project team at the aircraft's build site in Toms River, New Jersey. Photos courtesy of Cox

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Jessica Cox nears historic flight with custom-built 'Impossible Airplane'

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1783913359012Photo 1.jpeg" style="width:960px;display:block;height:auto" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>Jessica Cox (right) stands beside the nearly completed &#x27;Impossible Airplane&#x27; with a member of the project team at the aircraft&#x27;s build site in Toms River, New Jersey. Photos courtesy of Cox</div>TOMS RIVER, New Jersey — Nearly two decades after making history as the world&#x27;s first licensed armless pilot, Filipino-American motivational speaker Jessica Cox is preparing for another milestone with the &quot;Impossible Airplane,&quot; a custom-built aircraft designed specifically for her to fly entirely with her feet.The project represents the culmination of a five-year dream to create an aircraft that would allow Cox to fly farther, faster and more comfortably while continuing her mission to show the world that disability does not mean inability.The nearly completed aircraft was showcased at its build site in Toms River, where volunteers from EAA Chapter 898 of the Experimental Aircraft Association have spent more than four years assembling it one rivet at a time.&quot;The Impossible Airplane started about five years ago with a dream of building a custom aircraft designed specifically for me,&quot; Cox told ABS-CBN News.&quot;I&#x27;ve been flying for more than 18 years as the world&#x27;s first licensed armless pilot, but I haven&#x27;t always been able to fly comfortably. My foot would fall asleep, I&#x27;d get cramps, and my flying speed was limited, which meant I couldn&#x27;t do everything I hoped to do in the air.&quot;Unlike the vintage Ercoupe she has flown for years, the custom-built Van&#x27;s RV-10 was designed around her specific needs. According to the project, the aircraft is expected to cruise at more than twice the speed of her previous airplane, allowing her to travel farther while expanding her advocacy and outreach around the world.&quot;We now have an airplane that cruises at more than twice the speed of my previous aircraft while helping us share a powerful message: disability does not mean inability.&quot;<div>Turning an impossible dream into reality</div>Cox said the aircraft&#x27;s name reflects what many believed could never be accomplished.&quot;It&#x27;s called the Impossible Airplane because many people believed it would be impossible to build a custom aircraft for the world&#x27;s first armless pilot to fly entirely with her feet,&quot; she said.&quot;But what many thought was impossible has become possible.&quot;According to the project, the Impossible Airplane is designed to be the first aircraft built from the ground up with the left seat configured specifically for a pilot in command who flies entirely with foot controls.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1783913405933Photo 2.jpeg" style="width:633px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="633"/>The nearly completed &#x27;Impossible Airplane,&#x27; a custom-built Van&#x27;s RV-10 designed specifically for Jessica Cox to fly using only her feet, at its build site in Toms River, New Jersey</div>Beyond its engineering achievement, the project is also viewed as a step forward for accessibility in aviation. By designing an aircraft around the needs of a pilot who flies entirely with foot controls, the Impossible Airplane aims to demonstrate how innovation can expand opportunities for people with disabilities and challenge long-held assumptions about who can become a pilot.The airplane is now entering its final phase before its maiden flight.&quot;We are now in the final phase of building the Impossible Airplane,&quot; Cox said. &quot;The remaining work includes the final assembly, attaching the wings and propeller, and completing a series of test flights. Once those are finished, the airplane will take to the skies, allowing me to fly safely and comfortably using only my feet.&quot;<div>Built by volunteers</div>The Impossible Airplane is the result of years of collaboration by volunteers from EAA Chapter 898 under the leadership of Dr. Robert Newman.Cox credited the aviation community for helping turn the ambitious project into reality.&quot;This project became possible because of incredible support from the aviation community,&quot; she said. &quot;An entire team from EAA Chapter 898 spent four and a half years building this airplane.&quot;She said the project also received donated aircraft components from several aviation companies.&quot;We also received donated aircraft components from companies such as Lycoming, which provided the engine, Advanced Flight Systems, which supplied the control panel, and Van&#x27;s Aircraft, which provided the airplane kit,&quot; Cox said. &quot;It has truly been an incredible journey.&quot;Volunteers dedicated years to assembling the airplane piece by piece.&quot;The volunteers have worked together over the past four years and one month to make this dream a reality,&quot; Cox said. &quot;Week after week, they came to this hangar to build every part of the airplane, installing thousands of rivets and carefully assembling it piece by piece.&quot;&quot;It all started as a kit packed inside a crate. Today, that collection of parts has become a real airplane.&quot;She also praised the dedication of the volunteer builders.&quot;The group responsible for building the airplane is EAA Chapter 898, a chapter of the Experimental Aircraft Association. Its members volunteered countless hours every week to build this aircraft under the leadership of Dr. Robert Newman,&quot; Cox said.&quot;It&#x27;s incredible to see what they&#x27;ve accomplished together in just four years and one month.&quot;<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1783913463556Photo 3.jpeg" style="width:633px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="633"/>Jessica Cox (second from right) poses with members of the &#x27;Impossible Airplane&#x27; project team at the aircraft&#x27;s build site in Toms River, New Jersey</div><div>Filipino pride takes flight</div>For Cox, one of the project&#x27;s most meaningful aspects is its connection to her Filipino heritage.Cox said the project carries a special Filipino connection. Some aircraft components were manufactured in the Philippines, she said, while the airplane&#x27;s wings were assembled there before being shipped to the United States.&quot;A special part of this airplane is Filipino. Believe it or not, the wings were assembled in the Philippines, then shipped to the United States,&quot; she said.&quot;Knowing those wings will lift this airplane into the sky is incredibly meaningful. It reflects my Filipino spirit and reminds me that it&#x27;s possible to accomplish what many believe is impossible.&quot;According to the project, the aircraft&#x27;s exterior design also incorporates Baybayin, the ancient Philippine script, celebrating Cox&#x27;s Filipino heritage.<div>A mission beyond aviation</div>While the Impossible Airplane represents an engineering achievement, Cox said its greatest purpose is inspiring people to pursue dreams that others may consider impossible.&quot;I hope this project reminds people that we&#x27;re only limited by our creativity and our willingness to take on difficult challenges,&quot; she said.&quot;This airplane began as nothing more than a dream, and today it&#x27;s becoming a reality,&quot; she added. &quot;More importantly, it carries a message for the world: disability does not mean inability.&quot;Looking ahead, Cox said she hopes to fly the Impossible Airplane over the opening or closing ceremonies of the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles before taking it around the world, particularly to places where disability continues to be stigmatized.&quot;We also want to fly this airplane around the world, especially to places where disability is still stigmatized, and across the United States to encourage children born without arms,&quot; she said.&quot;We want to show their families, friends, teachers, and communities that they can achieve anything.&quot;For updates on the project, visit theimpossibleairplane.com.

Filipino-American armless pilot Jessica Cox is preparing for another milestone with the 'Impossible Airplane,' a custom-built aircraft designed specifically for her to fly entirely with her feet.

Filipino-American armless pilot Jessica Cox is preparing for another milestone with the 'Impossible Airplane,' a custom-built aircraft designed specifically for her to fly entirely with her feet.

Jessica Cox nears historic flight with custom-built 'Impossible Airplane'

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Jessica Cox nears historic flight with custom-built 'Impossible Airplane'

ABS-CBN News,

John Saavedra

Published July 13, 2026 07:10 PM PHT

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