h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

... one of France's most famous aviators, Antoine de Saint-Exupery, author of "The Little Prince" and other works.

Thanks, Manolan.

You're not the first to mention Saint-Exupery, but I'm not sure what his aviation pioneer credentials are - he seems more well-known as an author, and if so, then I'll try to fit him into a later installment. If you believe he belongs in here, then let me know why, and I'll consider getting it updated.

Icy

Well, the article is "Famous Air Crash Victims - Part 1: Aviators" and, on that basis, he clearly qualifies: he's famous, he was an aviator and he died in an air crash.

If you want to rename the article, then that would be a different matter.

As for his credentials as a pilot. He was a pioneer of postal aviation and spent several days in the desert after a crash. But you're right to some extent: his greatest contribution to aviation is in his writing where he romanticised the pioneers.

OK, I'll see what I can do

What do you reckon to this suggested update, Manolan?

Another pioneer of postal aviation was the Frenchman Antoine de Saint-ExuperyBorn Antoine de Saint-Exupery, on 29 June 1900, at Lyon, France., who established air-mail services between France and its territories in North Africa in the 1920s. In 1935, he and his navigator crash-landed in the Sahara desert while attempting to break the Paris-Saigon speed record, incredibly surviving for four days until they were rescued by a passing Bedouin. Exupery was also a successful author and wove into his novels many of his aviation experiences. His most famous work was the 1943 novel The Little Prince.

Exupery fought with the Allies in World War II, until his disappearance during a reconnaissance flight on 31 July, 1944. For many years he was thought to have crashed into the sea off Marseille - an unidentified body was indeed recovered and buried at the time - but this was only confirmed to be Exupery in 1998 when an identifying silver bracelet was discovered, followed in 2004 by the plane's wreckage on the seabed.

Lyon's international airport is named in St Exupery's honour, making it one of only two airports to have been named after air crash victims - the other being Oporto's Francisco Sa Carneiro Airport, the story of whom will be covered in part 4 of this series.

Icy

I've slightly re-written the suggested update:

Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Another pioneer of postal aviation was the Frenchman Antoine de Saint-ExuperyBorn Antoine Jean-Baptiste Marie Roger de Saint-Exupery, 29 June, 1900, at Lyon, France., who established air-mail services between France and its territories in North Africa in the 1920s. In 1935, he and his navigator crash-landed in the Sahara desert while attempting to break the Paris-Saigon speed record, incredibly surviving for four days until they were rescued by a passing Bedouin.

Saint-Exupery was also a successful author and wove into the plots of his novels many of his aviation experiences. His most famous work was the 1943 novel The Little Prince.

Fighting with the Allies in World War II, Saint-Exupery was to disappear during a reconnaissance flight on 31 July, 1944. For many years he was thought to have crashed into the sea off Marseille - an unidentified body was indeed recovered and buried at the time - but this was only confirmed to be his in 1998, when an identifying silver bracelet was discovered, followed in 2004 by the plane's wreckage on the seabed.

Lyon's international airport is named after Saint-Exupery, making him one of only two air crash victims to have that honour. The other is Oporto's airport, named after Portuguese Prime Minister Francisco Sa Carneiro, the story of whom is covered in part 4 of this series.

- Let me know if it looks OK.

Icy

Wow. That's excellent, really captures the main points beautifully.

I'll post here when it's updated.

It's updated!

Thanks again!

Icy