Xyla Foxlin – Engineer, Rocket Scientist, Maker, and Relentless Joy-Seeker

Xyla Foxlin doesn’t just break boundaries, she builds right through them with epoxy, electronics, and maybe a little bit of glitter. A mechatronics engineer turned full-time creator, Xyla has become a force in the maker world through her fearless blend of art, engineering, and storytelling. With over 500,000 subscribers on YouTube, she’s inspired a global audience by showing what’s possible when curiosity meets craftsmanship, whether that’s flying her vintage Cessna cross-country, designing a wood-veneered high-powered rocket, or building a livable teardrop camper from scratch.

Her passion for democratizing STEM education runs deep. From founding a nonprofit to get power tools in the hands of young girls, to becoming a Smithsonian-featured IF/THEN Ambassador, Xyla is dedicated to reshaping who gets to see themselves as an engineer. She's a vocal advocate for mental health among pilots, women in STEM, and embracing your full, fabulous self, heels, grease stains, glitter, and all.

We’ve been lucky to collaborate with Xyla on several wild and wonderful projects, including the Miss Fire Rocket Kit, designed to make aerospace accessible and fun. One of our favorite moments? Her wild idea to build a completely clear fiberglass canoe, and her total fearlessness in calling us up and saying, “I think this might be cool. Want to try it?” Of course, we said yes.

In this Q&A, Xyla talks about chaotic perfectionism, shrimp phobia, and what it means to keep making, whether or not the landing sticks. She's an adventurer, an advocate, and an absolute joy to work with. We're proud to celebrate her as a TotalBoat, or should we say BotalToat, Ambassador (OG Xyla fans will understand)!

__________________________________________

STEM Meets Art & Adventure

You blend engineering, art, and storytelling so beautifully, what’s a project that made you feel like all three came together in perfect harmony?

Probably my wood-veneered Fifi rocket. I was building that high-powered rocket and kept thinking, “How can I make this feel more like a Xyla-rocket,” and decided making it beautiful and wooden without sacrificing its function would do the trick. Plus, that video had a great arc of filming me meeting a bunch of people who are now my closest friends.

Catch 'How to Build a High Powered Rocket!' Video here!

You’ve built everything from rockets to a teardrop camper. What’s been the most unexpected lesson a hands-on build has taught you about yourself?

I’m kind of a chronically chaotic perfectionist. I used to think those things contradicted each other, but in the shop, they actually balance out. A good build needs precision, but also adaptability when things (inevitably) go off-script. I’ve learned to give myself grace in the mess.

If you could drop everything and spend a month immersed in mastering one new skill or craft, what would it be and why?

Welding/Metalwork. It just feels like this huge gap in my skillset for no good reason.

Do you think of engineering more as a science or as an art form, and how has your answer evolved?

I see it as both! I think Art and Engineering are the same thing– they are both using human creativity to make the human experience better.

Identity, Inspiration & Impact

You’re passionate about changing the perception of who gets to be an engineer. How do you stay hopeful or motivated when the work of shifting those narratives feels slow or uphill?

I think I deep down believe narrative gets changed the more people just do the thing. So I don’t really think of what I do as "activism" or “inspirational”-- I’m just doing my own stunts and hoping for the best. 

When young girls see your statue in the Smithsonian or watch your videos, what’s the one thing you hope they take away from it?

That you don’t have to change who you are to fit into STEM—you can show up in heels, glitter, grease-stained overalls, or all three. Engineering isn’t about looking or acting a certain way. It’s about being endlessly curious and doing the thing anyway.

You describe yourself as a “speedy jet with a broken compass.” What anchors you when you need to recenter or find direction?

Going outside. Or spending time in the shop building something that will take me on some kind of outdoor adventure. My favorite thing about LA is the proximity to so many national forests and parks and the tallest mountains in the continental USA. Being away from cell service and just in the sunshine and trees (and doing some kind of physical sufferfest in mileage and elevation) is my recharge button. 

Builds, Boats, and Badassery

Tell us the story behind building your boat, what sparked the idea and what did you love (or loathe) about that process?

I grew up paddling and canoe camping with my aunt and uncle in the Adirondacks. Upstate New York has some beautiful wilderness areas. My uncle builds cedar-strip canoes, and offered to build me one for my 18th birthday. That came and went with me off at college and having nowhere to store or paddle a canoe, but after I graduated I started thinking maybe it would be fun to spend a month in Vermont and learn to make it with him, which is what I did!

Watch 'Building a SAILBOAT in just six weeks!'

You’ve said before you want to inspire people to get out into their garage or makerspace, what’s your go-to advice for someone feeling intimidated by starting their first build?

Nothing is unfixable! You don’t have to have the whole project planned out before you start (I certainly never have)-- just get out there and give it a try. What’s the worst that could happen?

If you could team up with any other maker or engineer (past or present) on a dream project, who would it be and what would you build together?

Hedy Lamarr. No idea what we would build but I’m sure we could cook something up!

Flight, Freedom & Fun

Flying a 1946 Cessna is such a unique passion. What drew you to aviation, and how does piloting connect to your love of engineering or making?

I think they both tickle the goal-oriented part of my brain. I like starting on a journey and getting there– whether it’s a project or in the more literal aviation sense. 

What’s one place you’ve flown to (or dream of flying to) that felt like a total “this is why I do this” moment?

Flying into Sedona towards the end of my coast-to-coast solo flight. I remember coming over this ridge and seeing the mesas and just screaming in excitement into my headset- I’d never been to Sedona before in general, and flying into their airport perched in the middle of the sky was absolutely breathtaking. Totally bounced the landing though.

About the photo above: 'Back when I was in LA I got the wonderful opportunity multiple times to hang out with the incredible @xylafoxlin who is such a beautiful multi-talented individual, dare I say, nerd. That propeller she’s holding, SHE MADE THAT with @culver_props, and is currently building a plane from scratch. LIKE WHAT... If you wanna know anything about planes or rockets or just building things she is your girl!'
- Russell Klimas of LightnLense

Real Talk & Reflections

Your journey has included startups, nonprofits, YouTube, and more. What’s one piece of advice you would give your 18-year-old self that has nothing to do with engineering?

Fail Faster - it applies in engineering and beyond.

You live this fearless, creative life, but what’s something people would be surprised to learn you’re still working on overcoming or learning?

I am afraid of shrimp. 

TotalBoat Ties

You’ve used TotalBoat products in some of your builds. What’s one project where the material really helped unlock your creative vision or solve a problem?

Oooh, I’d say Party Kayak! The Rainbowt. It was this dumb idea I had born from the magic of fiberglassing my canoe for the first time- but the support from Totalboat when I asked if I could make an entirely clear fiberglass canoe was so chill and overwhelmingly helpful. They were just like “sounds awesome and worth a try! What do you need?”

If you could dream up a new tool, material, or product to make your engineering projects even more epic, what would it be, and would it have a place in the TotalBoat lineup?

I have been pitching a TotalBoat product for years. I want a slow drying version of Lust called Sloth (and then I want them to make products for the rest of the 7 sins. They already have Lust and Envy).

The other TotalBoat product I want is a super high-temp epoxy for supersonic use :)

Above: From the blog 'Build a Wooden Boat with Xyla'

Make sure to check out Xyla's Shop, and follow her on all the platforms to stay up-to-date on her latest endeavors!

Xyla on YouTube

Xyla on Instagram