The Black Aeroplane | Class X | English

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Two Stories About Flying

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Thinking about the Text ( Page 40)

Q1. ‘I’ll take the risk.’’ What is the risk? Why does the narrator take it?

Ans Risk here refers to not flying back to Paris when he came to know about the storm. Despite being aware of the bad weather, the pilot headed straight into the storm and risked the lives of his fellow passengers. The pilot’s decision making was clouded by his wish to meet his family and join them to have English breakfast which he had been dreaming all day.

Q2. Describe the narrator’s experience as he flew the aeroplane into the storm.

Ans: The narrator was frightened as he lost control of the plane. He felt helpless as the compass and the other instruments had stopped working. Nothing outside the aeroplane was invisible when suddenly in the midst of nowhere, an unknown plane was visible and the pilot was eager to help him. The narrator was panicking because there was very less fuel left. However, he managed to escape the storm with the help of the strange pilot who came to his rescue out of the blue.

Q3. Why does the narrator say, ‘ I landed and was not sorry to walk away from the old Dakota…?

Ans: The narrator had landed at an unknown place as his compass and radar had stopped functioning in the storm. He was not scared to leave the plane unattended and go to control centre to enquire about the mysterious plane which had helped him out of the storm.

Q4 What made the woman in the control centre look at the narrator strangely?

Ans: The woman in the control centre looked at the narrator strangely when he asked about the other pilot that helped him escape from storm. This is because there was no other plane in the sky during such bad weather.

Q5. Who do you think helped the narrator to reach safely? Discuss this among yourselves and give reason for your answer.

Ans: It means that the pilot’s own conscience which helped him out of the storm. There was no other plane out on that stormy night. So probably, he was hallucinating as a pilot, which led him out of that black cloud.

Extra Questions

Q1.What did the author see in the black clouds near him? Why did he follow it?

Ans: Just when the author thought that he was lost in the storm, he saw another aeroplane in the black clouds. It was flying next to him through the storm. He could see the pilot's face as it was turned towards him. The pilot lifted one hand and waved to the author, signaling him to follow him. The author realized that the pilot was trying to help him, and so he followed him like an obedient child.

Q2. How did the pilot of the black aeroplane help the author out of the storm clouds?

Ans: The pilot raised one hand and waved to the author, as if to say 'Follow me.' He turned his aeroplane slowly to the north, in front of the authors' Dakota, so that it would be easier for him to follow. It flew in front of the author for about half an hour. Then just as the fuel had started to run out, it began to descend. The author followed and suddenly came out of the clouds. He saw two straight lines of light in front of him. They belonged to a runway. The author was about to land and was safe.

Q3. Why did the woman in the control centre look at the author very strangely and laugh?

Ans: the woman in the control centre looked at the author very strangely and laughed because she was surprised at the author's question. There was o other aeroplane flying up in that storm. The author's was the only one she had seen on the radar.

Q4. (i) Why did the pilot call the Paris Control the first time? (ii) What was the advice of the Paris Control?

Ans : (i) The first time, the pilot called the Paris Control Room to enquire about the location of the plane and the route to be followed. (ii) The Paris Control advised him to turn twelve degrees west towards England.

Q5. Why did the pilot fly straight into the storm instead of returning to Paris? Ans : The pilot had a strong desire to get back home and have breakfast with his family. That is why, pilot took the risk and flew straight into the storm instead of going back to Paris.

Q6. Do you think the story ‘The Black Aeroplane’ is a mystery? Do you see some elements of supernatural power in the story? Do you believe in supernatural powers? Ans : ‘The Black Aeroplane’ by Frederick Forsyth is undoubtedly a mystery. The pilot of the old Dakota plane is trapped in black stormy clouds. Nothing is visible. All the instruments of his plane also stop functioning. Suddenly from nowhere a black aeroplane appears in the cloud. The pilot of the black aeroplane guides him. The plane has no lights on its wings but its pilot is still flying at ease. The first pilot arrives safely at the airport but when he goes to thank the pilot of the black plane, the woman in the control room even denies having seen any other aeroplane on the ‘radar’. This statement leaves the mystery of the pilot of the black aeroplane unfolded. However, there is no element of supernatural power in the story. There is no ghost or spirit in the plot. I don’t believe in supernatural elements like ghosts or spirits.