The Black Aeroplane | Key Facts | Class 10 English
The Black Aeroplane Key Facts
In this self-study guide, we present the key facts of the story in chronological order to help you build a deeper understanding of the chapter and prepare effectively. These facts will support your self-study, strengthen your grasp of key ideas, and help you get ready for the CBSE Board Exam. They also encourage critical thinking, deepen your insight into the characters, and improve your writing and analytical skills.
The Black Aeroplane | Key Facts
1. Q: At what time did the narrator check his watch during the flight?
Answer: He checked his watch at one thirty in the morning.
2. Q: What was the weather like when the narrator was flying over France?
Answer: The sky was clear, there were no clouds, and the stars were shining.
3. Q: What was the narrator flying?
Answer: He was flying an old Dakota aeroplane.
4. Q: Where was the narrator flying from and where was he going?
Answer: He was flying from France to England.
5. Q: What was the narrator thinking about during the flight?
Answer: He was dreaming about his holiday and looking forward to being with his family.
6. Q: When did the narrator contact Paris Control?
Answer: He contacted Paris Control when he saw the lights of a big city in front of him.
7. Q: What instruction did Paris Control give the narrator?
Answer: Paris Control told him to turn twelve degrees west.
8. Q: What did the narrator do after receiving instructions from Paris Control?
Answer: He checked his map and compass, switched to his second and last fuel tank, and turned twelve degrees west.
9. Q: How did the narrator feel at that point in the journey?
Answer: He felt everything was going well and was looking forward to a big English breakfast.
10. Q: What did the narrator see after Paris was about 150 km behind him?
Answer: He saw storm clouds that looked like black mountains.
11. Q: Why couldn’t the narrator fly over or around the storm clouds?
Answer: He couldn’t fly over because they were too high, and he didn’t have enough fuel to go around them.
12. Q: What decision did the narrator make despite the danger?
Answer: He decided to take the risk and fly straight into the storm.
13. Q: What happened inside the clouds?
Answer: Everything became black, the aeroplane was jumping and twisting, and he couldn’t see anything outside.
14. Q: What happened to the compass and other instruments in the storm?
Answer: The compass started spinning and became dead, and other instruments also stopped working.
15. Q: What happened when the narrator tried to contact Paris Control again?
Answer: The radio was dead, and he couldn’t get any response.
16. Q: How did the narrator feel when his instruments and radio stopped working?
Answer: He felt lost and frightened in the storm.
17. Q: What surprising sight did the narrator see in the storm?
Answer: He saw another aeroplane flying next to him in the storm.
18. Q: What was unusual about the strange aeroplane?
Answer: It had no lights on its wings, and it appeared mysteriously close to him.
19. Q: How did the pilot of the strange aeroplane communicate with the narrator?
Answer: He waved and seemed to gesture “Follow me.”
20. Q: How did the narrator react to the strange pilot’s gesture?
Answer: He felt relieved and obediently followed the strange aeroplane like a child.
21. Q: How long did the narrator follow the mysterious black aeroplane?
Answer: He followed it for about half an hour through the storm.
22. Q: What concern did the narrator have while following the aeroplane?
Answer: He was worried because his last fuel tank had only 5 to 10 minutes of fuel left.
23. Q: What did the strange aeroplane do when the narrator was nearly out of fuel?
Answer: It started to descend, leading the narrator down through the storm.
24. Q: What did the narrator see when he came out of the clouds?
Answer: He saw two straight lines of lights – a runway – indicating an airport.
25. Q: How did the narrator feel after landing?
Answer: He was relieved and happy to be safe.
26. Q: What did the narrator look for after landing?
Answer: He looked for the mysterious black aeroplane and its pilot.
27. Q: What did the narrator see in the sky after landing?
Answer: The sky was empty – there was no trace of the black aeroplane.
28. Q: Where did the narrator go after landing?
Answer: He went to the control tower to ask about the other pilot.
29. Q: What did the woman in the control center tell the narrator?
Answer: She said there were no other aeroplanes flying that night and his was the only one seen on the radar.
30. Q: What mystery does the story end with?
Answer: The narrator wonders who the other pilot was and how he had been rescued without any working instruments, fuel, or radio.