Black Aeroplane - First Flight - Class 10 - CBSE English

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About the Author - Black Aeroplane | First Flight | Class 10 Literature | CBSE English

Frederick Forsyth is a British author and journalist, born on August 25, 1938, in Ashford, Kent, England. He is best known for his thrillers such as "The Day of the Jackal" and "The Odessa File," which have been adapted into successful movies. Before becoming a novelist, Forsyth worked as a journalist for Reuters and the BBC. He has also served as a spy for MI6 in the 1960s. Forsyth's writing is characterized by meticulous research, realistic and detailed plots, and a focus on political and espionage themes. In addition to his novels, he has also written several non-fiction books and served as a political commentator. Forsyth has won numerous awards for his writing, including the Edgar Award and the Diamond Dagger Award for Lifetime Achievement from the Crime Writers' Association.

Summary - Black Aeroplane | First Flight | Class 10 Literature | CBSE English

"Black Aeroplane" is a thrilling story written by acclaimed author Frederick Forsyth. The story revolves around an experienced pilot flying an old Dakota plane from France back to England. The pilot is excited to be returning home to his family and looks forward to a hearty English breakfast. However, he soon encounters a severe storm with massive black clouds blocking his path.

Despite the danger, the pilot decides to push through the storm, but he soon realizes that he is lost. He has no working compass or radio, and he can't see anything outside the plane. As he struggles to navigate, he spots a mysterious black plane flying nearby without any lights. The pilot of the black plane motions for him to follow and leads him through the storm.

After half an hour of following the black plane, the pilot sees a runway with lights in the distance, and he lands the Dakota safely. When he inquires about the mysterious black plane's pilot, the air traffic control staff tells him that he was the only plane flying in the area during the storm, and there was no record of any other planes on the radar.

The story's suspenseful and mysterious elements make it a thrilling read. The pilot's experience and the unexpected twist at the end keep the readers engaged till the very end. The author has crafted a well-written and captivating tale that showcases his storytelling prowess.

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Themes - Black Aeroplane | First Flight | Class 10 Literature | CBSE English

  1. Risk-taking and bravery
    The main character in the story takes a great risk in flying straight into a storm despite the dangers. He is also brave in following the mysterious black plane without knowing who is behind the controls. This theme highlights the importance of taking calculated risks and being brave when faced with difficult situations.
  2. Mysterious forces at play
    The presence of the black plane in the storm, without any lights or radar signals, is a mysterious force that the protagonist....

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Plot - Black Aeroplane | First Flight | Class 10 Literature | CBSE English

  1. Introduction
    The story begins with the main character, an experienced pilot, flying his old Dakota plane over France back to England.
  2. Inciting Incident
    As he approaches...

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Important Lines - Black Aeroplane | First Flight | Class 10 Literature | CBSE English

  1. "I wanted that breakfast. ‘I’ll take the risk,’ I thought, and flew that old Dakota straight into the storm."
    This line is important because it sets the tone for the rest of the story. The protagonist's willingness to take a risk despite the danger shows his determination and perseverance.
  2. "The compass was turning round and round and round. It was dead. It would not work!"
    This line highlights...

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Back Questions - Black Aeroplane | First Flight | Class 10 Literature | CBSE English

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

    The risk that the narrator takes is flying his old Dakota aeroplane straight into a storm despite the danger. He takes the risk because he wants to reach England as soon as possible to be with his family and enjoy a hearty breakfast. He is also an experienced pilot and believes he can navigate through the storm. 

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

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

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

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

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Extra Questions - Black Aeroplane | First Flight | Class 10 Literature | CBSE English

  • The moon was coming up in the east, behind me, and stars were shining in the clear sky above me. There wasn't a cloud in the sky. I was happy to be alone high up above the sleeping countryside. I was flying my old Dakota aeroplane over France back to England. I was dreaming of my holiday and looking forward to being with my family. I looked at my watch at one thirty in the morning. I should call Paris Control soon. I thought. As I looked down past the nose of the aeroplane, I saw the lights of a big city in front of me. 

    a. How was the weather when the pilot started flying his aeroplane? 
    b. Where was the pilot going and why? 
    c. What was the pilot planning to do?

    a. The weather was clear and calm when the pilot started flying his aeroplane. There wasn't a cloud in the sky, and the moon was coming up in the east, and stars were shining above him.

    b. The pilot was flying his old Dakota aeroplane over France back to England. He was going home to be with his family after a holiday.

    c. The pilot was planning to call Paris Control soon to update them on his flight progress and make sure he was on the right track. He was also looking forward to having breakfast when he arrived in England.

  • Paris was about 150 kilometres behind me when I saw the clouds. Storm clouds. They were huge. They looked like black mountains standing in front of me across the sky- I knew I could not fly up and over them, and I did not have enough fuel to fly around them to the north or south. 

    a. What happened when the pilot was about 150 kilometres away from Paris? 
    b. What does the author compare the clouds to? 
    c. What option did the pilot take?

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  • "He knows that I am lost", I thought 'He's trying to help me. He turned his aeroplane slowly to the north, in front of my Dakota, so that it would be easier for me to follow him. I was very happy to go behind the strange aeroplane like an obedient child. After half an hour, the strange black aeroplane was still there in front of me in the clouds. Now, there was only enough fuel in the old Dakota's last tank to fly for five or ten minutes more. I was starting to feel frightened again. But then he started to go down, and I followed through the storm. 

    a. What was the pilot happy to find? 
    b. Why was the pilot frightened again? 
    c. Where did the author reach?

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  • I landed and was not sorry to walk away from the old Dakota near the control tower. I went and asked a woman in the control centre where I was and who the other pilot was. I wanted to say ‘Thank you’. She looked at me very strangely and then laughed. “Another aeroplane? Up there in this storm? No other aeroplanes were flying tonight. Yours was the only one I could see on the radar.” So who helped me to arrive there safely without a compass or a radio and without any more fuel in my tanks? Who was the pilot on the strange black aeroplane, flying in the storm, without lights? 

    a. Why did the writer go to the Control centre immediately? 
    b. Why was the writer shocked after hearing the woman's words? 
    c. Find out the word in the passage that means the same as 'peculiar'.

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  • Describe the author’s feelings while he was flying back to England?

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  • What did the author see when he was 150 km away from Paris? What did he do? Why?

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  • Who did the narrator see in the dark out? How did he help?

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  • 'God helps those who help themselves'. Elaborate this with reference to the narrator, THE BLACK AEROPLANE

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  • Write the Character sketch of the pilot from the chapter ‘The Black Aeroplane’.

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  • We feel there are certain forces that are always active in one way or the other; these maybe supernatural. How does the story of the pilot prove the forces to be supernatural in nature?

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  • What is the theme of the story of The Black Aeroplane’?

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Black Aeroplane - Line by line explanation in Hindi | First Flight | Class 10 Literature | CBSE English

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Quiz - Black Aeroplane | First Flight | Class 10 Literature | CBSE English

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