www.davidcookaviator.com

DAVID COOK AVIATOR

A COLLECTION OF PHOTOS I'VE TAKE OF DAVID OVER THE YEARS.

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My very first flight in a Hang Glider (Birdman Albatross), heading straight in to the arms of David Cook my teacher. The photo was taken on Sizewell beach in Suffolk England. As I took off from a 20 foot sand dune

 

....David watching me at Thorpeness....

 

Along with his son Jacob helping me rig up

 

David flying his VJ23 at Minsmere in Suffolk England

 

VJ23 flying at Minsmere Suffolk

 

VJ23 Flying at Thorpeness Suffolk

 

 

 

David flying his beloved VJ23 at Thorpeness Suffolk England. This was the aircraft that started it all for him, and from here he went on to design the Shadow.

 

David and his young son Jacob helping me prepare for one of the early Norfolk Air Races. Also in the photo is Paul Whitley and Dave Raeburn

 

David flying his Powered VJ23 in preparation for his historic Channel crossing

 

Duckhams Oil Company, one of David's official sponsors, used this official photo to commemorated his historic first English Channel crossing by a Hang Glider. Signed especially for Emily and myself.

 

David coming in to land at Thorpeness Suffolk, flying his VJ24

 

David and his son Jacob signing a barograph for my record attempt to try and fly East to West across England. Unfortunately I ran out of petrol halfway across Wales near Shobdon.

 

David at the controls of his Shadow landing at Ipswich Airport Suffolk England

 

David checking over his Shadow before taking off.

Chris Tansley is on the far right

 

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David testing a parachute deployment system, at Flixston one of the local Suffolk air fields. Taken by myself flying above. Unfortunately I was to high and the camera was a very cheap one hence the poor quality photos.

1st photo. Parachute just deployed ....2nd Photo. I circled as ground crew grab the chute

 

Brian Harrison in the Shadow workshop in Leiston Suffolk

 

A very famous photo take at one of the early Mere, Hang Gliding Championships

David's right at the back, while just in front of him is the Blue Stratus Hang Glider and in the foreground is a Gyphon Hang Glider, a revolutionary new machine at the time.

 

David flying his Powered VJ23 along his beloved Thorpeness beach in Suffolk

Preparing to attempt the first English Channel crossing by a Hang Glider

 

David flying another version of the Shadow, known as the Streak at Thorpeness beach

 

Shadow 002 fitted out with Infrared sensor pod for tests with the local police

 

 

What do you call a collection of Shadows ?

Oct 1989 Duxford England, when 18 Shadows took off in line to great acclaim from the large crowd that had assembled to witness the event.

 

Another famous photo

I was lucky to be living in Brisbane Australia when Brian Milton's Shadow was displayed during the Expo88 Show, May to October1988. That's Emily my wife and myself standing in front of the cockpit.