AOPA Action: AOPA welcomes special guests

Observing COVID-19 guidelines, pilots at AOPA celebrated the 30-year anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act with guests Jessica Cox, the first certificated pilot without arms, and retired Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), sponsor of the landmark bill. U.S. Rep. Ted Budd (R-N.C.), a member of the GA Caucus in Congress, also visited headquarters in late July and flew the AOPA Sweepstakes Van’s RV–10.

Cox earned her sport pilot certificate in 2008. She flies a 1948 Ercoupe under sport pilot privileges using her feet. A motivational speaker, the Tucson-based Cox uses the moniker “Rightfooted,” which is also the name of a movie she helped produce in 2014 (rightfooted.com). She was born in 1983 without arms and uses her feet and toes like arms and fingers. She is also the first armless black belt in Taekwondo and is an armless surfer and scuba diver.

“It was a privilege to fly with the person who made so much of a difference in the lives of those like me,” Cox said. “It was a privilege to get to talk to Senator Harkin about the work he has done—and to talk about what still needs to be done.”

An active GA pilot and current AOPA member, Harkin is a former Naval aviator and former member of the congressional GA caucus. Harkin was a champion of the ADA for many reasons including having a brother who was deaf and a nephew who is paraplegic. The ADA was signed into law by President George H.W. Bush on July 26, 1990; Harkin introduced the bill in May 1988.

U.S. Rep. Ted Budd (R-N.C.), an instrument-rated pilot, flew the AOPA 2020 Sweepstakes RV–10—his first flight ever in a Van’s Aircraft kit airplane. Budd describes himself as a “recently rusty” pilot who just passed an instrument proficiency check after stepping away from the cockpit for professional and family obligations. The second-term congressman and member of the House General Aviation Caucus said he’s looking for an airplane for travel between his family’s farm airstrip in central North Carolina and Washington, D.C.

Budd flew with AOPA Editor at Large Dave Hirschman for a little more than an hour during the visit. “He did steep turns, a stall series, and three gorgeous takeoffs and landings in a gusty crosswind,” Hirschman said. “He’s got a nice, soft touch on the controls and flew the RV–10 like a pro.”

Budd met with AOPA leaders Jim Coon, Greg Cohen, Elizabeth Tennyson, and Tom Haines at AOPA headquarters.

Although the association has curtailed its on-site day-to-day operations, headquarters is open to staff who can work either remotely or at reduced in-office hours (no tours are available). The ramp at FDK is busy and operations continue, observing Maryland COVID-19 guidelines.