How many of us would be able to do this?
 

Jessica Cox: the power of will

Check out this amazing video on how to fly an aircraft when you are born without arms.
OK, what she is flying is not an ordinary aircraft: it's a pedal-less Ercoupe, with its unique control system where ailerons, rudder and nose wheel are all linked together - and to the yoke (note how she steers the aircraft onto the runway). Nevertheless I think it's quite remarkable. Congratulations, Jessica! :ok:

Deeday

If you take the D out of disabled what do you have?

People tend to focus on the disability rather than the ability.

This Jessica Cox does herself proud in a big way!

Time for the CAA to follow suit?

She's amazing :eek:

she is absolutely incredible I doubt I could be more in awe of a person , unless she can fly twins , that would be even more incredible

Absolutely brilliant to see. What a positive girl.

However, is her license is restricted to flying with another pilot, or in an adapted aircraft? What about those tricky X-wind landings & take-offs?

As far as I know, the Ercoupe is in a class of its own and if you learn to fly on it, you basically get a licence to fly the Ercoupe.
With regard to cross-wind landings, they designed it with a particularly sturdy landing gear, so that you can just crab the aircraft right down onto the runway.
Cross-wind take-off might be tricky, I suppose, given that you cannot apply into-wind aileron without yawing in the same direction. It would be interesting to hear from an Ercoupe pilot.

Deeday

Great girl, who is due all the credit

The Ercoupe is a great plane. which (at least in North America, does not have licensing limitations). Cross wind takeoffs and landings are surprizingly simple, and you would not think the plane did not have separate rudders (though a few do). The first few times I arrived to a crosswind runway, I just pointed it down, and let it find it's way. I knew I could go around. I never had to. It can also not do an unacellerated stall, due to elevator travel limitations. It is therefore near impossible to spin. I did succeed after a hour of trying.

Jessica and the Ercoupe obviously deserve the fun together. She will be very safe in this fine plane.

Pilot DAR