Engineering Opportunities for Pilots With Disabilities

A former fighter pilot who became the first paraplegic to build and fly a helicopter offers inspiration for others.

Jessica Cox

Tuesday, July 18, 2023 at 11:32 AM ET

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Retired Captain Stewart McQuillan in his standup chair building his helicopter. [Photo provided by: Jessica Cox]

Key Takeaways:

Stewart McQuillan, a paraplegic former fighter pilot and engineer, became a Guinness World Record holder by pioneering the modification and flight of a helicopter for individuals with spinal cord injuries.
Both McQuillan and the author, Jessica Cox, share the challenge of innovating unprecedented aviation solutions, emphasizing trial-and-error and the difficulty of articulating visionary designs.
They are united by a shared mission to demonstrate that disability can open doors, with McQuillan planning to inspire veterans through his helicopter and Cox developing "The Impossible Airplane" simulator for people with disabilities.

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When I sat down to lunch recently with retired Captain Stewart McQuillan in Colorado Springs, Colorado, it would have been easy to notice a woman without arms and a man in a wheelchair—two people with disabilities having a meal together. I doubt anybody would have known they were looking at two Guinness World Record holders together in one place.

Jessica Cox, center, with Sean McClung (left) and Stewart McQuillan with his service dog, King. [Courtesy: Jessica Cox]

Stewart once served as a Royal Air Force/U.S. Air Force fighter pilot who had to retire after his fighter plane broke up on takeoff, crushing his spine and leaving him paralyzed. He returned to aviation as soon as possible, flying fixed-wing aircraft with hand controls.