20 January 2026
For some people, there’s a moment at dawn when all you want to do is go flying… and keep going. If that’s you, then Pooley’s annual International Dawn to Dusk Competition is perfect.
Since 1964, the International Dawn to Dusk Competition has encouraged aviators to do something gloriously simple and surprisingly difficult: take a flying machine, a good idea, the hours between dawn and dusk — and see what happens. Details of the 2026 Competition have been announced by Pooleys.
Established by the late Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip and the Tiger Club, the objective of the Dawn to Dusk is “to encourage the most interesting employment of a manned aircraft within the limits of competent airmanship and to demonstrate the capabilities of pilot and machine in a day’s flying, in the hours between Dawn and Dusk, whilst undertaking an original and praiseworthy objective”.
Derek “I was inverted” Pake giving a new flyer the Van’s Grin treatment
The challenge might be historical: following a forgotten route, tracing a story written into the landscape. It might be geographical, personal, or quietly eccentric. It could involve coastlines, counties, castles, or just curiosity. The only real rule is that it has to mean something to you.
The key is that every entry must be accompanied by a log that explains the thinking, the planning, the flying and the lessons learned.
The judges look at originality, airmanship, safety and how clearly you’ve brought the whole thing to life. A short video is welcome too, should you feel the urge to point a camera at yourself while explaining why this seemed like a good idea at the time.
The west coast of Norway, after crossing the North Sea
Experience, aircraft type and even the weather are all taken into account. This isn’t about who has the fastest aeroplane or the longest logbook. It’s about judgement, imagination and making the most of what you have.
There are prizes. There’s £1,000 for first place, handsome trophies including the Duke of Edinburgh Trophy, and there’s a black-tie awards dinner at the RAF Club in central London in February. Everyone who enters receives a certificate and shield.
St John’s lighthouse in Dundrum Bay, from Michael Benson and Marie Woltman’s 2022 entry
Entries require a minimum of four hours’ flying. There’s no entry fee, and the deadline for submissions is the end of September each year. Miss it and your effort simply rolls over to the following competition.
