The Impossible Airplane

10/01/2026

“Where do you want the handhold to go?” 😂

Even during the serious work of building an airplane, Joe manages to keep Jessica laughing.

In this behind-the-scenes look at The Impossible Airplane at Falcon Field, Jessica takes us inside the RV-10 wing and gets a quick education on the bolts, spar, wiring, and control connections that are part of bringing the aircraft together.

She also learned something that gave this particular part of the airplane a personal connection: the wings were preassembled in the Philippines — the same country where Jessica’s mother was born and raised.

There are a lot of pieces, people, and stories coming together in this airplane.

For the inside scoop on the build, sign up for updates at TheImpossibleAirplane.com.

08/27/2026

I’m flying! …Virtually, anyway.

Share a picture of flying around your favorite destination!

We're introducing a very special livery to X-Plane 12.4.4. ❤️ In collaboration with the Rightfooted Foundation, we're bringing their 'Impossible Plane' livery into X-Plane.

This gorgeous RV-10 livery is based on an in-development aircraft, designed to be operated by foot and make aviation accessible to disabled people. We couldn't be prouder to showcase their fantastic work!

Learn more about the project
https://www.x-plane.com/2026/08/making-the-impossible-possible/

More about Rightfooted Foundation
https://rightfooted.org/

08/20/2026

Making history and I haven’t even spun my prop around yet!

07/31/2026

Some parts look like airplane parts.

Some parts look like plumbing.

Some parts look like furniture.

And somehow, I need all of them.

This week's build update is a little less “giant shiny fuselage moment” and a little more “why is there glue next to a pushrod next to a chair?” Which, honestly, feels about right for me. I was never going to be a normal airplane.

The seats are starting to look like the place where Jessica and Patrick will bring this mission to life. The pushrods are getting ready to translate motion into control. The fuel system pieces are finding their routes. Even the glue has a job, although it is being suspiciously sticky about it.

That is the magic of EAA Chapter 898: they can look at a table full of unrelated pieces and see the airplane I’m becoming.

I see it too.

Not finished. Not rushed. But definitely coming together.

Disability doesn’t mean inability.

07/30/2026

Every great journey starts with people willing to help carry the dream.

Today, I traded the familiar rhythm of Dr. Robert Newman's workshop for the gentle pull of tie-down straps and the careful hands of friends preparing me for a 2,000-mile journey to Arizona.

Before I hit the road, my fuselage was wrapped in a protective cocoon of shrink wrap—ready to shield me from sun, rain, road grime, and whatever else the highways have in store. It's not the most aerodynamic look I've ever worn, but for this trip, protection beats style every time.

As you can see, my fuselage and wings are carefully secured to the trailer. When I arrive in Arizona, the next chapter begins: final assembly. Soon my wings won't just be traveling beside me—they'll finally become part of me.

None of this would be possible without Dr. Robert Newman and the incredible volunteers of EAA Chapter 898. They transformed boxes of aluminum into an airplane with a purpose, giving countless evenings, endless patience, and remarkable craftsmanship to build something much bigger than an aircraft. Every rivet they've set carries a message that disability doesn't mean inability.

I'm also deeply grateful to JOY Aviation Supply for sponsoring this cross-country journey. They're not just helping transport an airplane 2,000 miles—they're helping move a mission that will inspire children with disabilities, advance inclusive aviation, and change perceptions one airport at a time.

The next time you see me, I'll be one step closer to my first flight.

Arizona, here I come. ✈️

07/26/2026

07/26/2026

07/23/2026

We’re not at AirVenture yet.

And that’s not a delay confession. That’s an aircraft-build reality check with better lighting.

These photos come from earlier in my build, when EAA Chapter 898 was deep into one of those beautiful, unglamorous stages that every real airplane needs: pipework.

My future Lycoming heart will need fuel, and that fuel has to take a very specific journey. Thirty gallons live in each wing, then flow through lines routed under the seats, up between Jessica and Patrick, through the firewall, and eventually into the engine. Along the way, filters and valves make sure everything goes where it should, when it should, with the least possible drama.

Aviation loves the big moments: first rollouts, shiny paint, arrivals at .

But the truth is, those moments are built on work like this. Careful bends. Tight spaces. Patient hands. Systems checked, rechecked, and respected.

So while AirVenture is happening, we’re sharing the run-up — the behind-the-scenes work that makes the future arrival possible.

Because disability doesn’t mean inability, and impossible was never going to be rushed.

07/23/2026

We’re getting closer!

07/22/2026

This is what progress in aviation looks like.

As the aviation community gathers in Oshkosh, thousands of people are celebrating the aircraft, technology, and ideas shaping the future of flight.

I would like to add one more idea to that conversation:

Aviation advances when design expands who can participate.

My adaptive systems are being developed around Jessica’s lived experience as a pilot without arms. That is not engineering after the fact. Accessibility, safety, and pilot capability are being considered together from the beginning.

I am not a stunt or a symbolic gesture. I am an aircraft being built to fly—and a real-world demonstration of what disability-led innovation can accomplish.

Read how I am helping redefine accessibility in aviation:
www.impossibleairplane.com/build-updates/how-the-impossible-airplane-is-redefining-accessibility-in-aviation

Some barriers are physical. Others are design decisions waiting to be reconsidered.

Aviation has always represented freedom, adventure, and possibility. But for many people with disabilities, the aviation world has historically felt out of reach. The Impossible Airplane project aims to change that. At Rightfooted Foundation, we believe accessibility should not be an afterthought.