A team of engineers and volunteers is nearing completion of a one-of-a-kind aircraft designed from the ground up to be flown entirely without the use of arms. Dubbed “The Impossible Airplane,” the project was initiated by Jessica Cox, the first certificated pilot to fly using only her feet. Cox earned her Sport Pilot certificate in 2008 in a standard Ercoupe but found the aircraft limited in range and outreach capability. In 2020, her nonprofit, Rightfooted Foundation International (RFI), launched development of a fully foot-controlled aircraft capable of longer-distance flight.
Now in its final construction phase, the airplane incorporates a Lycoming IO-540 engine, Hartzell composite propeller, and a full avionics suite from Advanced Flight Systems. The airframe was assembled by volunteers from EAA Chapter 898, who contributed over 2,000 hours of time to the project. All major components are on site as of December, and the team is targeting a first flight in June 2026. A public debut is planned for July at the Lycoming Engines booth during EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh. Though not yet flight-ready, the aircraft’s recent paint reveal signals growing momentum toward its completion.
The project aligns with ongoing regulatory changes under the FAA’s MOSAIC initiative, which expands opportunities for Sport Pilots. According to RFI Inclusive Engineering Director Patrick Chamberlain, the aircraft is both a technical and symbolic step forward.
“The Sport Pilot pathway has opened doors for people with disabilities,” Chamberlain said. “MOSAIC makes this the right moment to ask who else belongs in the sky.”
The aircraft is being developed in collaboration with Van’s Aircraft, Lycoming Engines, Hartzell, AeroLEDs, and others.
