FLYING PLANES WITH HER FEET! The TRUTH about human potential | Jessica Cox on Tilly Talks Tech

What's your consensus on what's impossible? Whatever it is, I think this video might change your mind!

Jessica Cox is the first LICENSED, ARMLESS pilot, driving planes using her feet! 🦶 Not only is she actively redefining what's possible, but she also actively seeks out her fears to conquer them. Proving every time, that NOTHING is impossible.

April is Limb Difference Awareness Month and Jessica is an formidable role model within the community! ❤️

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https://www.impossibleairplane.com/

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Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:00

My name is Jessica Knuckles and I'm the world first on the list coming and the CEO of Jessica Kluft Motivational Services. Wells are only there to stop the people who don't want it badly enough. My wish for each and every one of you is to have a burning desire, an endless persistence, and an unconquerable fearlessness.

SPEAKER_00 0:23

Hi everybody, welcome back, or welcome to TluTalks Tech. I'm your host, Alia, and today we are in Fur Tree. Here in Tluetox Tech, we're all about pushing human potential, seeing what's possible in the world, be that through technology, adaptation, or whatever it is. Today's guest lives up to all of those things because she is the first licensed formless pilot. She flies planes with her feet. I can't even fathom that. I'm so looking forward to hearing about how she does that, like the training process, the adaptation, and also her mindset. Because we all know that the secret to our potential lies in our brain. It's your mindset. Please give a very warm welcome to Jessica Cox. Hello, Jess. Welcome to Tilly Talks Tech. Thank you so much for making the time to be with me here today. How are you? Have you just come off like flying? Is that what you were doing this morning?

SPEAKER_01 1:10

I was supposed to, but yesterday I went flying, and what happened was if anything goes wrong with the airplane, you just don't take a risk. And we landed yesterday and noticed that the back windows were beginning to start to pop out. And I was like thankful for whoever uh this gentleman was who basically let us know that it was coming out because I don't want it to pop out in flight. So that means that the airplane is grounded. And though we were supposed to fly this morning, we set uh set in word to the shop that we need to get that looked at before we fly it again.

SPEAKER_00 1:42

Oh my goodness, that's crazy. Yeah, that's terrifying. You don't want anything like that happening when you're way up there. Has anything like that ever happened before?

SPEAKER_01 1:50

Oh, I can, yeah. There's been occasions where like the fuel cap has flown off, or for example, like the cowling, which is essentially like the hood, the hood that covers the the engine, it started to fold. And and this is all happening during flight. And it's just really a scary thing that happens. You just come to land and you make sure you take care of it, but you don't, you know, you want to mitigate as many issues up there in the sky as possible because it's not like a car where you can just pull over the side of the road.

SPEAKER_00 2:20

Yeah, no, literally, like, let me just pull up in a cloud real quick. It doesn't really work like that, Jessica. You are an incredible lady. You've done so much. First of all, you're the world's first licensed armless pilot. And as a limdifferent girly myself, I appreciate that so much, and I find that so inspiring. You're also a taekwondo black belt, I read, a certified scuba diver, an author, and global motivational speaker. I just want to know like, what is your motto in life to go out and just do pretty much like anything that you're interested in, what comes your way?

SPEAKER_01 2:57

Well, that's the thing. I think it's just about staying open, open to possibility. And once you have that frame of mind, then that means that anything that strikes your fancy that comes crosses your path, you're like, oh I haven't done this, maybe I should try this out. And if you have the, you know, curiosity, which we all had as children, you just maintain that. And that way, when things kind of sound interesting, you just say, Okay, let's do it, let's figure this one out. For me, it's just that's my life because I feel like I was born in a world designed for arms and hands. And when you're born that way, this is all you ever know. But naturally you have to adapt to life in a different kind of way. And and that adapting builds resilience, the adapting builds uh creativity and innovation, and and just saying, not taking no for an answer.

SPEAKER_00 3:49

A hundred percent. I couldn't agree more. I share that same sort of attitude. And actually, on the last podcast I just filmed, we were talking all about curiosity and how important that is, and how that really should be like your driving force through life because there's so much to discover and so much to do, right? And somebody who doesn't know your story entirely, can you tell us exactly how it is that you came to be missing limbs? And yeah, just how was that for you growing up?

SPEAKER_01 4:17

So I was born without both my arms, and to this day, it's still a medical mystery. I know some people are born with limb differences for various reasons, but the doctors still don't know exactly what it was. And my mom had a very normal pregnancy. The sonograms came back normal, so she had no indication as to whether she should be concerned or not. And um, basically, she was expecting that I was gonna be of, you know, have four limbs, like my brother who was born before me. And uh, to her surprise, you know, it I came out and the world was absolutely stunned. Uh, it was like a silence that came over the whole operating room during that normal C-section. And to this day, we don't know why. I've seen geneticists, I've seen people, it's not genetically linked to anything. It's not something I could pass down if I were to have kids. This is just something that was a fluke thing that happened in development while in utero. And, you know, I I don't think dwelling on the exact reason for it gets us anywhere because it is what it is, and just move forward with it and and and and make the most out of it. So 100%.

SPEAKER_00 5:28

And I mean, you've definitely not let it hold you back in any way of the word, and I feel like that's the most important thing, you know. You come out and nobody knows exactly what your life's gonna look like, but you know, you live that life to the fullest, you figure it out along the way. I lost my hands to meningitis when I was 15 months, so that's what happened to me. But I I don't really remember ever having hands, so to me it kind of feels like I was born like that in a way, but obviously I wasn't. And one of the first things that my family were looking into for me was prosthetics. I was wondering, was that something that you considered at all when you were younger or your family sort of guided you towards?

SPEAKER_01 6:05

Yeah, actually it was. And having the option, I feel blessed that I was given the option because so many children I meet from abroad are really like fantasizing about the possibility of prosthetics and being born in the United States and you know, a more progress being in an place where the opportunity of prosthetics came about uh as young as three years old. I mean, they they were even talking about prosthetics around, you know, time of my birth. So it was really an option I had, and one that I feel grateful I always was given the opportunity. The majority of time I spent with body powered because electric meant heavier prosthetics, and that weight for someone who has no stumps at all on her shoulders meant the weight was going to be on my back, and I didn't have any residual limb to offload that. That curiosity was eliminated once I figured it out and figured out that for me they didn't work out, and that doesn't mean you know everyone's different. So for me, I decided not to pursue them. But I had that trial period of 11 years of my life of trying them out.

SPEAKER_00 7:15

I had my manual one, and like at the time, I mean, obviously I have the stump, so it's a little bit easier, but still it was like this big harness that would go over like a two-year-old little body, which you know has no bodily coordination as it is. So it's been really interesting to see, you know, how much it's developed. But I totally get it when I hear people who like don't wear press eggs because it's like adaptation is something that's so beautiful and intrinsic to like every limb different person, and the way we adapt and how creative we are to like overcome these obstacles, I find just as amazing as like you know, the the myelectrics and what whatever else it is. You are the first, you know, licensed armless pilot. When did that idea first come into your mind? And just like the very concept of you maybe flying a plane.

SPEAKER_01 8:09

Well, actually, it was never a part of my consideration as a young person. I'd never really even never dawned on me. I didn't have any pilot family members, I didn't have any um, you know, any like fascination with aviation, like watching planes go overhead. I didn't have that kind of like established love or passion. It was just something that crossed my path after college. And I always talk it to people in audiences and say, you know, don't let fear stand in the way of an opportunity. And so my fear was flying. And this opportunity crossed my path right out of college. I just graduated with a degree in psychology and started my speaking career. And I was like, I need something to tell people that you can overcome your fear and to face your greatest fear head on, do it anyway. And that's what flying was for me is my evidence to be on stage to show people that you can. And you fear is something that we build up in our head, and we should just go out there and not let anything stop us.

SPEAKER_00 9:08

You like literally made a beeline for the scary thing that does something. You're like retraining yourself to know that literally nothing is impossible because that's like the least likely thing that you want to go and do is face your biggest fear. But once you do that, you're like, Well, I'm unstoppable. Do you know what I mean? I think that is so cool. I know nothing about like the training process to fly a plane at all. Can you talk to me a little bit about like what that was? Like the first time you were like, oh no, I'm really committing to this, going in, learning to fly a plane. What is that process like?

SPEAKER_01 9:40

Well, I think you're at a right stage because I was exactly about your age, except maybe a year older. And I was like, hey, I want to try this out. And I sat in a plane for the first time after being very tense and apprehensive about it. But then the pilot in the plane he said, you know, why don't you feel what it's like to control this thing? And what's different about planes that cars don't have is airplanes have dual controls, so you can actually fly it from the right seat too. So I had controls on my right seat, and I took my foot out of my shoe and I grabbed a hold of the yoke and said, Let me just see what this feels like. And once I felt what it was like, I was like, I think this is my next goal. I'm gonna just conquer this fear. And while no one has done this before with their feet, I'm gonna try and fly this plane. Of course, I didn't make the connection that no one had ever done this before. It was just like, I'm gonna just do it, and however it is, I do it. And for me, it translates to using my feet. And I said, I'm gonna make this goal to become a pilot.

SPEAKER_00 10:41

That's so cool. Is it like literally just like did you just like check into just like normal fly-in lessons?

SPEAKER_01 10:47

Yeah, I just had to pursue who would be willing to teach me, what plane was gonna work out, and what were the steps? And so I had to just immerse myself in this aviation pilot community, and I became to become one of them, I had to go to air shows, uh, go to airport events, show up where all the pilots hang out to ask questions, to have conversations, pretend like I was them. And once I was just totally immersed in the community, it made it a lot easier to find out about airplanes, instructors, and and and scholarships for the expensive training. You know, it's not exactly cheap. And so to get to pave that way for myself.

SPEAKER_00 11:28

What would you say is like the biggest challenge that you faced during that process? Was it physical? Was it mental?

SPEAKER_01 11:34

There were some logistical challenges because no one had flown a plane with their feet and figuring out what was the safest way to do it. Yeah, those were difficult, but also that emotional frame of mind of I'm losing contact with the ground when I take off and I'm thousands of feet up. It's it's a little unsettling. I know some people love to fly and they're just born to fly, but it was unsettling for me at the beginning, and I just had to get over that and become a competent pilot. And instructors prepare you for that. You go through a lot of checklists, you don't rely on your memory, and when you become responsible in that regard, then then you safely maneuver this airplane.

SPEAKER_00 12:09

That's so crazy. Like to to anybody else, you think like flying with you know your feet because it's never been done before would be the hardest part, but like you were fully conquering your fears here to do that, and then also doing something that's never been done before. I was curious to know if there was like any adaptations that needed to happen. You know, you were the first person to do it. Did they just throw you in the deep end and it was like, okay, let's figure it out? Or was it like, okay, we're gonna change this around, we're gonna make this a little bit simpler?

SPEAKER_01 12:37

There was a lot of different um things to figure out because these controls are geared up and made for hands, and they're higher up, and our feet are, you know, on the floor. So for me, flexibility luckily was part of my life because I use my legs and feet all the time. So getting my feet up there was a thing. It wasn't as difficult as you may think about because I had that flexibility already set and the dexterity was already in my toes. But there were some things we had to kind of um shake up a little and and change how it was addressed. For example, like landing and um all these different things that that had to be considered and also my fatigue level, because my legs are up high. It's like you know, doing like abdominal exercises with your feet up. Oh my goodness, yeah. Kind of fatiguing and and exhausting. So I had to figure out what my energy level was and when I needed to say, hey, enough flying for the day, and let's let's call it call it a day. Um, really being in tune to myself and knowing my own what we as pilots call our own limitations. And those limitations are okay just to understand our body and and and how we can be the best version of ourselves behind the controls because you never know what's gonna happen up there.

SPEAKER_00 13:52

When it comes to like this theorem and like pressing the buttons, you have all that dexterity like in your toes where like you could just do all that.

SPEAKER_01 13:59

I know it's it's really hard for people to really get that until they sit down next to me and they're like, Oh, they actually forget that I don't have arms because some people like even my husband at one time point, he's like, There was a picture I saw of you, and didn't even dawn on me that it wasn't your actual hand that was doing what it was doing. It was it wasn't that that it wasn't your hand, it it felt like it was your hand because I just made this connection. And so when people see me, it's one thing versus hear about it because when they hear about it, they're like they make a connection with their own abilities with their feet and toes and what they've seen in their life. But once you see me, which maybe will be a first for some who haven't seen foot users, um, you start to kind of get it and be like, oh, I forgot that was your foot. I thought that was a hand.

SPEAKER_00 14:49

Is there anything that you like still struggle with? Is there anything that like is still a nightmare?

SPEAKER_01 14:55

Um, I mean, I gotta be honest. I'm I have some things like, for example, my hair is down right now, but if I were to want to tie it in a ponytail, um, my husband's learned how to tie a ponytail.

SPEAKER_00 15:06

Mine too, my boyfriend. Yeah, we have that in common. No, literally, literally, like, and as a as a woman, it's the bane of your life not to be able to just like put that hair up. So you get it so annoying. I do, I fully get it. And I'm exactly the same. I would love to figure out how to do it myself as well. If you ever find out, you gotta let a girl know so that I can put my own hair up as well. I would actually love that. You make a really good point of like adapting your environment rather than adapting or augmenting yourself. Do you know what I mean? And I feel like that's something that's really cool. Is that something that you want like more companies and businesses to like latch onto in the sense that they should prioritize their accessibility rather than expecting the individual to kind of bend over backwards, pay for all this assistive tech? Like the world should be accessible as it is, no?

SPEAKER_01 15:59

Yeah, exactly. And this whole idea of universal design making the world without question accessible to all abilities. Because I mean, I just take, for example, some of the ADA things, the American Disabilities Act, for example, um, some of the things for wheelchair users that are made accessible in a hotel room, um, benefit me as someone who uses my feet because everything is lower down, right? And for someone in a wheelchair. And at the same time, everything's lower for me. So I can grab a hold of the blow dryer, or if I need to get hold of the ironing, the iron or the ironing board, it's all low. And so I benefit from that, which is actually something was designed for someone in a wheelchair. So it's really uh um important to keep that in mind to engineer a world that is open to everyone as opposed to the the need for everyone to feel like they have to work so much harder. And I also talk to companies about the frame of mind uh that they should be in when not only designing things, but also in the workplace and that whole what I call thinking outside the shoe. And essentially it's it's really about um thinking bigger, thinking outside of the drawing outside of the lines and and that whole uh belief that things can be done in a different way, but we have to put ourselves into that frame of mind when doing anything.

SPEAKER_00 17:26

Do you think that technology that we have right now, do you think that is closing the gap fast enough?

SPEAKER_01 17:32

Yes, it's amazing how technology has just stepped in in the last. I mean, you're so much younger than me, but like I saw this transition of literally getting the very first version of software for voice to text, and it literally taking like a week or two weeks for it to memorize my voice so that it wouldn't cause all these typos when I spill spoke into the mic. And now it's just like it takes seconds, you know. And I mean, it doesn't even take that long. You just automatically do voice to text. You can text on a phone, voice to text. Uh I mean, I do all my documents on pages on my Mac with voice. It just cuts out the time that was used. I used to. I mean, I literally in middle school had a typewriter and typing one key at a time um with my toes was not exactly easy.

SPEAKER_00 18:23

Yeah, like it's so good that we're finally getting to the point where I feel like a lot of people are a lot more open to that conversation about what we could do to like adapt things and make things easier. And I think it just goes to show that it's like if you zone in and like prioritize accessibility and like helping these minorities, like we could have done this a long time ago. It just feels like the you know, the wider, the wider market is sort of finally deciding, oh wait, no, this this tech can really help us as well.

SPEAKER_01 18:51

Oh, one of the things that I really love, and because I'm I use my feet so much, I cannot stand having a dirty floor, like having like particles on the floor. I will feel, and I don't know if it's because my toes are maybe more sensitive, but in reality, in some ways, they're tougher because I go barefoot so often in so many places and in the yard sometimes and things like that. So they're tougher, but at the same time, I don't like having crumbs and things on the floor. So one of the things I do now have is a voice activated Roomba vacuum cleaner. So I literally every day will turn on this vacuum cleaner at a certain time of day, and it's just so cathartic to be able to watch it clean and to know that it picks all the crumbs up off the floor because I have a fur baby Chewy and he's a golden labradoodle dog who's 74 pounds and he can't help but track in some dirt sometimes. But um, for a to be able to have just a simple voice activated floor vacuum that goes on its own without me having to push a vacuum around the house, I just love that. It's a small thing sometimes.

SPEAKER_00 19:55

Yeah, 100%. I think anything voice activated is super cool. Like if we could have like a uh a ponytail machine where we're like, okay, put my put my hand a ponytail and just goes, yes, sir, and puts our hand a ponytail, like it would be a happy world.

SPEAKER_01 20:09

It would. I'm with you on that because I don't want to be necessarily like many people, maybe they feel no other option is out there but to have short hair. I like having long hair because we can do things to it if we want to go out to a formal event or go out with friends, just have the options of versatility with our hair. And if you have short hair, there's only so much you can do. So it's like, yeah, I like having long hair, but it comes with the need for help with getting my hair back, especially when it's hot.

SPEAKER_00 20:40

Yeah. Like, I mean, we're both we're both girls who like our long hair and you shouldn't have to sacrifice that. Do you know what I mean? Just to, you know, have it have it be a bit easier. I will say one day I would love to fully shave my head, but until now, yeah, I will be happy with my with my ponytails. Tell me did a good job. Thank you. I will do. You've got your book as well, Disarm Your Limits. You're a disability advocate and a public speaker. Why is it so important to you to keep up with that activism and make sure you're like talking about all this and bringing people's attention to it?

SPEAKER_01 21:14

Well, you know, a lot of times, and I think this is what people don't uh they start to realize is that having awareness of something, uh, having a conversation about it, bringing it to the table as priority is is empowerment. And if we just kind of just forget about it or ignore it or just kind of like stuff it in a corner somewhere and think, you know, say, I'll handle that later, uh, it just starts to manifest in a lot of ignorance and it manifests in um not having empathy and understanding. And so it's important to bring awareness to certain things. And that's what I realize is that is that this is a unique platform. Being a speaker, uh commanding and Audience and their attention. That's the big part, their attention. Because a woman walking on stage without both her arms is very different than maybe the standard speaker who would go up there in a suit or something. Um, that is a beautiful gift, and it's an opportunity to bring up some very important things. Uh, it's an opportunity for people to really reconsider what what they thought was in was impossible. Yes, but at the same time, it's it's an opportunity to advocate and to speak up for all those who feel suppressed or feel like they've been ignored, and it's an opportunity to bring that awareness, which is a beautiful thing, because giving voice to the voiceless is so very special, and it's a gift that I will continue to do as as long as I can, and it'll be a part of my work uh and advocacy.

SPEAKER_00 22:54

Yeah, that's so good, and you're so right, like you it really does grab the attention, like whether you like it or not, and why not use it in like such a positive way, like that? You you like it's a blessing, and I think that's a really refreshing mindset because I know a lot of people who are limb different growing up will probably like cover it up or something, whatever they can do to like not be the center of attention. But in moments like that when you're really trying to make a difference, that is exactly what you want. So you lean into that and share what is it's so important to share. And I hope you don't mind me sharing this, but like the way that you sign off on your emails, toes on the keyboard and stuff like that. I find that so iconic. Like the first time you emailed me back, I was like, Oh my goodness, we're gonna be friends. She's just signed off toes on the keyboard.

SPEAKER_01 23:41

Well, if you have it, might as well use it, right? And um I mean, I first started my website back in the day, was like right footed, and I just happened to be right foot dominant, and I was like, Well, let's just put it out there, rightfooted.com. And that was the start, and people loved it because everyone's so used to hearing right-handed or right side dominant, and they never heard right footed. But I mean, some maybe athletes or soccer players would, but it's just like it was such a special thing to set me apart and to be real.

SPEAKER_00 24:14

I'm dying to know you've done so much, like I said. What is next for you? What are you up to now? What is your like personal little mission at the minute?

SPEAKER_01 24:23

Well, right now we are doing amazing things in um the world of aviation. We are building a first ever of its kind airplane that is going to be modified because I've been flying for so many years in a standard airplane, but now we want to modify something so that I can fly for longer periods, as well as continue the mission and the vision of getting the word out that disability does not mean inability. So we are really working hard on building a four-seater airplane. It's been five years in the process, and now we're going to take to the skies if all goes well in July, which is incredible. And we'll have to fly out and visit utility sometime, and then you go up like you asked you wanted to. So, yes.

SPEAKER_00 25:07

Oh my god, I would die. And we'll definitely maybe we could do it in person. I was gonna say we should get you back on the podcast in July to see how it all went, but like, yeah, you can just touch down in Bristol, we'll get you on, you can take me off to Arizona, whatever. We're coming to the end now. Thank you so much. This has been a joy. And I have a couple of quick fire questions if that's all right with you.

SPEAKER_01 25:27

Sure.

SPEAKER_00 25:27

So the first one is what do you think the world could be doing differently to expand human potential? Be open and more creative. I love that. What advice would you give to someone who thinks they can't do something and they feel like they're kind of trapped in a box because of that?

SPEAKER_01 25:42

Okay, eliminate the can't part of that and change it from impossible to I'm possible. Hence why we're using that term for the airplane, calling it the I'm possible airplane.

SPEAKER_00 25:56

Yeah, love that. Just a just a total reframe. You are like the perfect example of somebody who just goes out and does everything, anyways, which I love. I think it's so iconic. Yeah, you gotta teach me how to fly a plane, dude. I'm dying to get up there and like fly around with you.

SPEAKER_01 26:13

I love that. You're excited about that opportunity, and I want to see how we can facilitate at least a discovery flight first so you can see.

SPEAKER_00 26:20

It would be so cool. Like, even just to be in the cockpit, I'd be geeking out. Oh Jessica, it's been so, so, so nice talking to you. Thank you so much. And for anybody who wants to follow your journey or this next mission that you're on, where can we find you on social media?

SPEAKER_01 26:36

You can find me on um Instagram at rightfooted, and you can find me on Facebook at just Jessica Cox. Uh, and also follow the progress of the impossible airplane, and that has a separate handle as well. So you can check that out or just go to theimpossible airplane.com.

SPEAKER_00 26:54

100%. And everybody better do that. Like, I'm gonna be refreshing that every single day. Thank you so much, Jessica. I had so much fun with you, and yeah, I'll see you next time, I guess.

SPEAKER_01 27:06

Yes, thanks for what you're doing.

SPEAKER_00 27:08

Keep it up. What an incredible lady, guys. I gotta fly a plane. Like, ugh. This is what I mean about the people who are just like literally paving the way, like like proving people wrong and doing it anyways, and starting their own like initiative to like show people that they can do it. Like adapting a whole plane, that's their next mission. Definitely do check out Jessica Cox. Definitely do check out the I'm possible plane. Who knows? When you look up at the sky and you see a plane, it could be me or just driving. I probably need to go through like years of qualifying for this, but it's a dream. Okay, it's a dream. Thank you so much for listening to this episode of Tilly Talks Tech. I really hope you did enjoy it. If you did, make sure to like, comment, and subscribe, share it with your friend, give us a rating, whatever you like. Preferably five stars, though, I will say. Do let me know who else we need to get on the podcast, anyone else who's pushing human potential, the limitations, which we quite frankly do not have, actually. Or just anything you want to hear more about. I'm gonna deep dive on. Thank you so much, and I'll see you next time.