Two Stories about Flying

B. The Black Aeroplane

( Class work No.4 ; Date : 21-7-2021 ; Topic : The Black Aeroplane )

Answer the following questions .

1. “I’ll take the risk.” What is the risk ?Why does the narrator take it ?

The risk is of flying the old Dakota, with very limited fuel, straight into the stormy
clouds which looked like huge black mountains standing in front of him across the sky.

He took the risk as his desire to be with his family at the breakfast time at his home in
England was very strong in him.

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

The narrator could not see anything inside the storm clouds as it was completely black.
The old Dakota jumped and twisted in the air. The compass was dead and it was
turning round and round. All other instruments ,including the radio for communicating
with the control tower , too became dead. He could not see where he was. He realized
that he was lost in the storm.

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

As the pilot was landing, he looked around for his friend in the black aeroplane who
saved his life .

He could not see him anywhere as the sky was empty just as the airport there. He
thought he would enquire the details of the pilot in the black aeroplane at the control
tower to express his gratitude to him. This hope made him feel ‘not sorry to walk away
from the old Dakota.’

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

The narrator’s enquiry about the pilot in the black aeroplane to thank him made the
woman in the control tower look at him strangely. She conveyed that there was no other
aeroplane flying that night except his Dakota. And, she confirmed him that the radar
too didn’t detect any other plane.
5.Why did the pilot think of going back to Paris ?

The pilot saw huge storm clouds like black mountains standing in front of him across
the sky. He knew that he could not fly up and over them as his Dakota did not have
enough fuel to fly around them. Paris was about one hundred and fifty kilometres
behind him and it was the safer option for him.

6.Explain the statement, “I was very happy to go behind the strange aeroplane like an
obedient child.”

The moment when the narrator realized that he was lost in the storm , he saw another
aeroplane flying next to him without lights on its wings. Its pilot lifted his hand and
asked him to follow him. This black aeroplane turned slowly to the north in front of the
Dakota guiding the narrator-pilot. Like an obedient child, he followed the black
aeroplane for half-an-hour and came out of the storm clouds to reach an airport safely.

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