Dawn to Dusk: Turn a Single Day's Flying Into an Adventure
Free to enter, open to every pilot, and running since 1964, the Dawn to Dusk competition asks one simple question: what could you do with a single day in the air? Entries for the 2026 competition close at the end of September.
Some flying challenges are about speed, distance or performance. Dawn to Dusk is about imagination. The idea is refreshingly simple: choose your own theme, fly at least four hours between dawn and dusk on a single day, and then tell the story of that flight. What you set out to do is entirely up to you, whether that is tracing a piece of history, linking places that share a name, visiting old airfields, adding a charitable cause, or simply exploring somewhere you have always wanted to see from the air.
A competition with real heritage
Now in its 62nd year, Dawn to Dusk was established in 1964 by the late Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip, and the Tiger Club. Its aim then is its aim now: to encourage the most interesting use of an aircraft within the limits of good airmanship, and to show what pilot and machine can achieve together in a day's flying. More than six decades on, it draws pilots from clubs, syndicates, flying schools, families and mixed crews, instructors, students and first-time competitors, from the UK and around the world.
How it works
The rules are deliberately open. Your flight must be a minimum of four hours' airborne time, flown between dawn and dusk on one day, and it can start and finish anywhere in the world. You choose any theme or objective you like. Afterwards, you put together a written log of your flight supported by photographs, with the option to add video, which scores extra points. Judges look at originality, safety, airmanship and the quality of your storytelling, so a well-planned trip told well can more than hold its own against a longer or faster one. One firm rule worth noting: any airspace infringement means automatic disqualification, so careful planning is part of the challenge. Entry is completely free.
Last year's winner
The 2025 competition was won by Karen Locatelli, a low-hour private pilot flying solo, with an entry she called Two Saint Michaels. In a single day she flew from the UK to Mont Saint-Michel in Normandy, then on to St Michael's Mount off the coast of Cornwall, before returning to her base at Wycombe Air Park, a 622 nautical mile flight that crossed the English Channel twice. It is a perfect example of what Dawn to Dusk celebrates: a creative idea, carefully planned and well flown.
Prizes and the awards dinner
First prize is £1,000 and the Duke of Edinburgh Trophy, and every participant receives a certificate and shield. All entrants are invited to a presentation of awards reception and dinner at the RAF Club in central London, a chance to celebrate the year's flying together.
How to enter
Entries for the 2026 competition are open now and close at the end of September, so there is still time to plan your day and take part. To find the full rules, the judging criteria and the entry form, visit the Dawn to Dusk pages on the Pooleys website. If you have any questions, the team is happy to help at enquiries@pooleysdawntodusk.com.
Where will your day in the air take you?
Enter Dawn to Dusk → https://www.pooleys.com/dawn-to-dusk/
