Class 10 English Notes Chapter 3 (Two Stories about Flying) – First Flight Book

Detailed Notes with MCQs of Chapter 3 from your 'First Flight' textbook, 'Two Stories about Flying'. This chapter presents two distinct narratives, each exploring the act of flying but from very different perspectives and with different underlying themes. Pay close attention, as understanding the nuances is crucial, especially for your exams.

Chapter 3: Two Stories about Flying

This chapter consists of two separate stories:

1. His First Flight by Liam O’Flaherty
2. Black Aeroplane by Frederick Forsyth

Let's break down each one.

Part 1: His First Flight

• Author: Liam O’Flaherty (Remember the author's name)
• Central Theme: Overcoming fear and hesitation, the role of parental motivation (sometimes tough love), instinct, and the process of gaining self-confidence.
• Characters:
  • The Young Seagull: The protagonist. He is timid, afraid of flying, and feels inadequate compared to his siblings. He believes his wings will not support him.
  • The Seagull Family (Parents, two brothers, sister): They have already mastered flying. They try various methods – encouragement, taunting, threats, and finally, a clever trick – to make the young seagull fly.
• Plot Summary:
  1. Isolation and Fear: The story begins with a young seagull alone on his ledge. His family has flown away, leaving him because he is afraid to take his first flight. He fears the vast expanse of the sea beneath him and lacks faith in his wings.
  2. Family's Efforts: His parents and siblings call to him, scold him, and even threaten to let him starve unless he flies. They demonstrate their flying skills, catching fish, trying to motivate him.
  3. Desperate Hunger: Left alone for 24 hours, the seagull becomes extremely hungry. He watches his family enjoying fish on the opposite plateau, which intensifies his hunger.
  4. The Mother's Strategy: Seeing his desperation, his mother flies towards him with a piece of fish in her beak. However, she stops just within his reach, hovering in the air.
  5. The Plunge: "Maddened by hunger," the young seagull dives at the fish, forgetting his fear for a moment. He falls outwards and downwards into space.
  6. Instinct Takes Over: A monstrous terror seizes him initially, but his wings instinctively spread outwards. He feels the wind against his feathers and realizes he is flying.
  7. Joy and Achievement: He is no longer afraid. He soars, dives, and shrieks with joy. His family flies around him, screaming their encouragement and praise.
  8. First Landing: He eventually lands on the green sea, initially sinking slightly but then floating. He has successfully completed his first flight and overcome his fear.
• Key Takeaways for Exams:
  • Fear is often mental; the physical capability might already exist (the seagull's wings were always capable).
  • Necessity (hunger, in this case) can be a powerful motivator to overcome fear.
  • Parental actions, even if they seem harsh (like leaving him alone), can be aimed at encouraging independence and growth.
  • The story highlights the power of natural instinct.
  • The flight symbolizes achieving freedom, maturity, and self-reliance.

Part 2: Black Aeroplane

• Author: Frederick Forsyth (Known for thrillers, which explains the suspense)
• Central Theme: Mystery, navigating crisis, dependence on technology vs. the unknown, decision-making under pressure, and perhaps the supernatural or psychological phenomena (like hallucinations or intuition).
• Characters:
  • The Narrator: A pilot flying his old Dakota DS 088 aeroplane from Paris to England. He is initially happy, confident, and looking forward to an English breakfast with his family.
  • The Pilot of the Black Aeroplane: A mysterious figure in a strange, black aeroplane with no lights. He acts as a guide through the storm. His identity and existence remain unexplained.
  • The Woman in the Control Centre: Represents logic and reality. She confirms that no other aircraft was flying that night.
• Plot Summary:
  1. Easy Flight Begins: The narrator is flying from Paris to England late at night. The sky is clear, stars are shining, and he's dreaming of home and breakfast. He contacts Paris Control for instructions.
  2. The Storm Clouds: About 150 km from Paris, he encounters huge, menacing storm clouds that look like "black mountains."
  3. Risky Decision: He has limited fuel and cannot fly above the clouds. Returning to Paris seems logical, but his desire to get home makes him risk flying straight into the storm.
  4. Lost in the Storm: Inside the clouds, everything turns black. His instruments (compass, radio) stop working. He is lost and unable to contact Paris Control.
  5. The Mysterious Guide: Suddenly, he sees another aeroplane – a black one with no lights on its wings – flying near him. The pilot gestures for the narrator to follow him.
  6. Guided to Safety: Relieved, the narrator follows the black aeroplane like an obedient child. He worries about fuel but continues following. After about half an hour, he sees runway lights through the clouds.
  7. Safe Landing: He lands safely and sees the black aeroplane disappear.
  8. The Unanswered Question: He goes to the control tower to thank the other pilot but is shocked when the woman there tells him that radar showed only his plane in the sky during the storm.
  9. Enduring Mystery: The story ends with the narrator wondering who the pilot of the mysterious black aeroplane was that saved his life without any instruments or radio.
• Key Takeaways for Exams:
  • The story builds suspense and leaves the central mystery unresolved.
  • It explores how humans react in crisis situations – the narrator makes a risky, emotion-driven decision.
  • It contrasts reliance on technology (which failed) with an unexplained guiding force.
  • Possible interpretations (the story doesn't confirm any):
    • Hallucination brought on by fear and disorientation.
    • A supernatural event or divine intervention.
    • The narrator's own subconscious or intuition guiding him.
  • Focus on the elements of mystery, suspense, and the narrator's state of mind (initial confidence, then fear, relief, and finally, bafflement).

Overall Connection:

While seemingly different, both stories revolve around the act of flying as a central element. 'His First Flight' deals with an internal struggle (fear) to begin flying, while 'Black Aeroplane' deals with an external struggle (storm, failing instruments) during flight, introducing an element of mystery. Both protagonists face a moment of crisis and emerge successfully, though the nature of their 'help' differs vastly.

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs):

1. In 'His First Flight', what finally motivated the young seagull to fly?
   a) His mother's encouragement
   b) The sight of his siblings flying
   c) Extreme hunger and the sight of fish
   d) The fear of being left alone forever

2. What did the young seagull believe about his wings?
   a) They were stronger than his siblings' wings.
   b) They would surely not support him.
   c) They needed more practice.
   d) They were injured.

3. Who wrote the story 'His First Flight'?
   a) Frederick Forsyth
   b) Liam O'Flaherty
   c) Roald Dahl
   d) Ruskin Bond

4. In 'Black Aeroplane', where was the narrator flying from and to?
   a) England to Paris
   b) Paris to London (England)
   c) France to India
   d) London to New York

5. What was the name/type of the narrator's aeroplane in 'Black Aeroplane'?
   a) Boeing 747
   b) Spitfire
   c) Old Dakota DS 088
   d) Black Aeroplane

6. What difficulty did the narrator face while flying?
   a) Engine failure
   b) Attack by another plane
   c) Getting lost in storm clouds with instrument failure
   d) Running out of fuel before reaching the destination

7. What was strange about the black aeroplane that helped the narrator?
   a) It was flying very fast.
   b) It had no lights on its wings.
   c) It communicated clearly via radio.
   d) It was painted bright yellow.

8. What did the woman in the control centre tell the narrator?
   a) The black aeroplane had already landed.
   b) There was heavy air traffic that night.
   c) His was the only plane seen on the radar.
   d) The storm was expected to last for hours.

9. Which instrument of the narrator's plane failed first in the storm?
   a) Radio
   b) Speedometer
   c) Compass
   d) Fuel gauge

10. What common theme connects both 'His First Flight' and 'Black Aeroplane'?
    a) The joy of family reunions
    b) Overcoming challenges related to flying
    c) The dangers of modern technology
    d) The importance of a good breakfast

Answer Key for MCQs:

1. c
2. b
3. b
4. b
5. c
6. c
7. b
8. c
9. c (followed by the radio)
10. b

Make sure you read the texts thoroughly again, paying attention to the descriptions, the characters' feelings, and the sequence of events. Understanding these details will help you tackle any question related to this chapter. Good luck with your preparation!