Obituary

Harry Cook: 1923-2001

Members will be saddened to learn that Harry Cook recently passed away after a short illness.

Harry originally learnt to glide and was an active member at Camphill. When he and his family moved from Derby to Rickmansworth in the early 1970’s, he joined Booker, gaining his third Diamond and Diamond Badge No.58 in a Kestrel in 1976.  He is one of very few Booker pilots to have turned the inhospitable Lake Vyrnwy in the heart of North Wales.

A Chartered Engineer, he will be remembered by many glider pilots as the inventor of the Cook compass and the various marks of Cook variometer. 

The Cook compass was developed to minimise turning errors, particularly useful when cloud flying.  Philip Wills used one in the 1956 World Championships – his account in S&G of using a Cook compass to climb in cloud up the side of a ridge is a compelling testament to the trust he placed in the instrument!

The original Cook variometer was amongst the first electric varios and used an audio output as well as a needle display.  The technology used gave the varios a high level of accuracy which meant they were highly valued as instruments to help “scratching”.

A man of massive integrity, ingenuity and determination, Harry held a number of senior roles in industry, involved in a wide range of projects including the development of autopilots for aircraft such as the Canberra and Saab Viggen; and aircraft engines including the Rolls Royce Spey, Avon and RB211 – where he was Chief Engineer.

Harry will be hugely missed by his family, including his wife Diana, his three children John, Anne and Diana and his eight grandchildren, and his many friends within the gliding community.

| Back to Newsletter Index Page |