40th Toulouse-Saint-Louis Rally: three Montalban residents redid the Aéropostale route

Claude Roussel, his brother Christian and Quentin Boudou took part in the 40^e Toulouse-Saint-Louis Rally, the largest air raid in the world, following in the footsteps of the Aéropostale pioneers. This raid brought together 17 crews of amateur pilots, creating a real brotherhood over the 14 days of travel, which ended on October 4.

It was in September 2023 that they decided to participate in this event. A budget of €21,000 for three participants still had to be set up, particularly due to fuel costs in Africa. Thanks to the help of 30 sponsors, most of the funds were raised without delay. Registered from November 2023, they spend the following months preparing for their adventure, in particular with the help of the organizer Air Aventure, who takes care of all the administrative formalities, and their mechanic, Ismaël Esposito, who advises them on the essential equipment to take with you.

School supplies and a computer for a school

On September 14, 2024, the DR 400 Régent aircraft, adorned with sponsor logos, was presented during a ceremony in the presence of local authorities. On September 20, the big departure takes place in Toulouse-Lasbordes, with school supplies bound for Tarfaya. Crews are encouraged to bring basic necessities for local populations. The Montalbanais brought school supplies and a computer for the students of a local school, which welcomes children aged 8 to 12. “I have fond memories of the arrival of the 4^e stop in Tarfaya with a landing on the legendary Aéropostale runway, whose state of sand and stones remains quite rustic, remembers René Roussel, president of the Montalban Aeroclub. The track which is officially 800 meters long… really only has 650 usable meters. But in terms of piloting, I will remember the connection between Saint-Louis and Nouadhibou with the majority of the flight which was carried out without visibility and lasting 2 hours 30 minutes. A trying memory! In the absence of the usual visual references, we were subjected to contradictory impressions between our inner ear and the instrumental indications. We were happy to return to Dakhla for a well-deserved night.”

This journey of 10,000 km over two weeks was a real challenge for the crew. It allowed them to discover exceptional landscapes and to understand the humility required by the pilots of yesteryear, who navigated with much more rudimentary means. Beyond modern technology, this remarkable human adventure created unforgettable memories for all participants.