The 5th edition of the Toulouse-Tarfaya Air Rally will take place from May 14 to 23, with 17 aircraft set to depart from the Toulouse-Lasbordes airfield, organizers announced Wednesday.
This year’s rally features a record number of participants for a 10-day, 6,000 km journey retracing the trail of the novella The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, marking the 80th anniversary of its first publication this year, according to a press release.
Fifteen light aircraft from France, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands will depart on this new adventure steeped in history, memory, and culture. Two support planes operated by the organizing team will accompany the rally.
The rally aims to reach Tarfaya, where the renowned pilot-author served as airfield manager for 18 months from 1927 to 1928. The event is also in tribute to the writer-pilot ahead of the centenary of his joining the Latécoère Lines in October.
“The rally will immerse crews in the atmosphere that inspired Saint-Exupéry’s legendary character, The Little Prince, whose universal values remain relevant today,” the press release noted.
Beyond its historical, heritage, and cultural dimensions, this event supports an educational project titled “The Bivouac of Sand and Stars,” providing children in Tarfaya with visual arts classes and astronomy workshops.
As part of this event, specialized equipment for stargazing in the midst of the desert will be donated to the Friends of Tarfaya Association.
The Toulouse-Tarfaya Air Rally, recognized by the World Air Sports Federation (FAI), is open to all pilots from any country, with crews of two or more people, at least one of whom must have a total of 250 flight hours.