Inspirational Tuesday: Meet the world’s first armless pilot

Jessica Cox readies for take off. Butterflies buzz in her stomach as she gives the yoke a gentle nudge. With her eyes fixed on the runway, she thrusts into the air at 100 kilometers an hour. This is no ordinary ascent though, Cox has just made history, she is the first armless pilot to fly. Despite being born with a rare birth defect, Cox was enrolled in a public school and quickly gained her independence. Cox went on to graduate from the University of Arizona with a degree in Psychology and Communication, and her accomplishments only skyrocketed from there.

While Cox surpassed expectations, there was one fear that she was determined to overcome: flying. After three years of training, she soared through the sky controlling the plane with just her feet. In 2008, Cox landed in the history books as the world’s first licenced armless pilot.