Armless pilot's 'Impossible Airplane' nears completion thanks to NJ aircraft builders
BAYVILLE, New Jersey (WPVI) -- 'The Impossible Airplane' is nearing completion.
Meet Jessica Cox, an extraordinary woman who was born without arms and became licensed to fly an airplane with only her feet.
Then, meet Robert Newman, a retired educator who has been flying and building planes for decades.
The two came to meet through a stroke of bad luck that turned into a blessing.
Cox, who is from Arizona, has been flying for 18 years. A few years ago, she landed at JFK Airport and her aircraft got jet-blasted.
In need of a mechanic on the east coast, she and her husband called Gene Bunt, a member of the EAA (Experimental Aircraft Association) Chapter 898.
Cox discussed her latest dream with Bunt: building an aircraft specifically designed with modifications to make it easier to fly with just her feet.
Bunt just so happened to know the perfect guy for the job: Dr. Robert Newman.
For the past four years, Newman and his team at EAA Chapter 898 have been building a customized aircraft for Cox at the Ocean County Airport.
And earlier this month, Cox and her husband flew in to see the near-finished aircraft in person.
With a few more additions from engineers and proper inspections, the plane could be flying by next summer.
Watch the video above to see 'The Impossible Airplane' in progress.
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