Armless Pilot

BoomerSooner77

New Member
Don't know if this has been posted before... BUT... Saw this chick on Ellen today, pretty cool.

WOMAN BORN WITHOUT ARMS BECOMES FIRST CERTIFIED ARMLESS PILOT USING ONLY HER FEET TO FLY!!

Just three years ago, 25-year-old Jessica Cox had never been in a small airplane and certainly never imagined one day piloting one. That all changed on October 10th, 2008 when Jessica not only piloted the aircraft, she earned her Airman's Certificate in a 1945 Ercoupe 415C, an airplane designed to bring the postwar generation into the sky. The Tucson area resident and University of Arizona graduate has proven that anything is possible when inspired by an organization that truly believes in hard work and dedication.

This all started in August 2005 when Col. Robin Stoddard, the Executive Director and founder of Wright Flight Inc. a non-profit organization in Tucson, Arizona approached Jessica after her speaking engagement at a Tucson Rotary Club Luncheon. As she was leaving the facility, Robin asked her if she ever thought about flying an airplane. Jessica responded that one of her only fears was flying. Robin, himself a decorated Air Force Fighter pilot, told her about his Godfather, an Air Force fighter pilot who suffered a crash landing but still went on to fly his own aircraft even though he was confined to a wheelchair. Robin explained that he has taught people with all types of disabilities and if she could drive a car, (and from the photos she provided during the lecture it was obvious she could) then she could fly an airplane.

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wow..

How does she coordinate her turns?

Ercoupes left the factory with coupled ailerons and rudders. That was the big selling point of the old Ercoupes - they were the "safest plane available". They also couldn't be put into a deep stall because the up elevator was limited. So, no true stall and coupled ailerons/rudders - spin proof airplane. Fred Wieck designed the Ercoupe and went on to design the Piper PA-28 series of airplanes.

I knew a guy that lost his arm below the elbow in a crop dusting accident. He continued to dust and he also had a Stearman and a Waco that he flew for fun - he had a hook though.
 
Wow, I can just imagine the looks she must get when she gets out of the plane. I guess people are capable of anything when they have the will. More power to her.
 
Ercoupes left the factory with coupled ailerons and rudders.

This is a dumb question, but how does one go about making a crosswind landing in a plane like this?

Can the rudder itself at least be used without deflecting the ailerons?
 
So far as I know, you just kinda plunk it down in a crab and let the fact that it's a nosedragger sort it out. Kinda like my students do sometimes...:panic:
 
This is a dumb question, but how does one go about making a crosswind landing in a plane like this?

Can the rudder itself at least be used without deflecting the ailerons?

Not a dumb question at all - and answered below your post - you land in a crab. Can't slip either.

NOW - can someone take a PPL checkride in an Ercoupe (because you can't demonstrate slips or crosswind landings) and if they can, is the license limited to just Ercoupes?
 
There's a guy at my work who flies with one arm, and I thought that was pretty nuts, but this is nuts! WTG!
 
I know a guy that flies an ag plane and only has one leg.

Always thought that would be tough with a taildragger. I know a guy lost both his legs below the knee and had wooden legs. He had a Travel Aire D4000 and never had a problem with it.
 
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