Two Stories About Flying — AP Board Class 10 English (First Flight)
"He was flying! He was flying!" — His First Flight
"I looked at my compass — it was still not working. The radio was dead too. I had no idea where I was." — Black Aeroplane
1. About the Chapter
'Two Stories About Flying' contains TWO independent but thematically connected stories:
- 'His First Flight' by Liam O'Flaherty — A young seagull's terrifying yet triumphant first flight
- 'Black Aeroplane' by Frederick Forsyth — A pilot's mysterious experience flying through a storm with an unknown guide
Both stories are about FEAR, TRUST, and the MOMENT OF TRUTH when we must overcome our deepest anxieties. This chapter is part of the AP Board (BSEAP) Class 10 English First Flight textbook under the new 2025-26 NCERT-aligned syllabus.
Why This Chapter Matters for AP Board Students
- Two COMPLETE stories in one chapter — more content, more questions
- Rich in animal imagery and mystery elements
- Teaches about overcoming fear — a universal theme
- Frequently tested for comparative analysis — both stories side by side
- Vocabulary building with vivid descriptive language
2. About the Authors
Liam O'Flaherty (1896-1984)
- Irish novelist and short story writer
- Fought in World War I — deeply affected by his experiences
- Known for NATURE-THEMED stories about animals and rural life
- 'His First Flight' is his most famous short story
- His style: VIVID, SENSORY, DRAMATIC
Frederick Forsyth (born 1938)
- British author and political commentator
- Former RAF pilot and journalist
- Known for THRILLERS like 'The Day of the Jackal' and 'The Odessa File'
- 'Black Aeroplane' draws on his PERSONAL flying experience
- His style: SUSPENSEFUL, MYSTERIOUS, DETAILED
Part I: His First Flight by Liam O'Flaherty
3. Story Setting
- Location: A cliff on the seacoast — seagulls nesting on a ledge
- Time: Early morning, sunrise
- Atmosphere: Dramatic natural landscape — sea, sky, cliffs
- Main character: A young seagull who is AFRAID to fly
4. Detailed Summary
The Situation
A FAMILY of seagulls lives on a cliff ledge. The parents have been teaching their three children how to fly. Two siblings have CONQUERED their fear and now fly skillfully. But the YOUNGEST SEAGULL is TERRIFIED.
He cannot gather the courage to launch himself off the ledge. He knows flying is important — the family catches fish in the sea. But FEAR paralyses him.
The Family's Response
The seagull's parents are FRUSTRATED:
- They scold him
- They threaten to let him STARVE on the ledge
- His brothers and sisters make FUN of him
- His mother refuses to feed him
His father says: 'He must learn to fly. How else will he eat?'
The Starvation Tactic
For TWENTY-FOUR HOURS, the young seagull sits alone on the ledge. He is HUNGRY — desperately hungry. His family flies around him, catching fish and eating, deliberately TAUNTING him with food.
His mother flies close to him with a piece of fish in her beak. He BEGS her for it — but she hovers just out of reach.
The Moment of Truth
Unable to bear the hunger, the young seagull DIVES towards the food. He LEAPS off the ledge!
Instantly he is FALLING — terrified, screaming. He thinks he is going to die.
But then, MIRACULOUSLY:
- His wings spread
- His body lifts
- He is FLYING
His family CHEERS. His mother flies to him with food. He SCREAMS with joy: 'He was flying! He was flying!'
The Triumph
The young seagull learns several lessons in that one moment:
- He can BANK and WHEEL in the wind
- He can DIVE and SOAR
- He is a SEAGULL — born to fly
- FEAR was the only thing holding him back
Ending
The story ends with the young seagull flying alongside his family, HAPPY and FREE — a transformed creature.
5. Characters (His First Flight)
The Young Seagull
- The PROTAGONIST — represents EVERY child facing a new challenge
- TERRIFIED of flying, despite being instinctively meant to fly
- PARALYSED by fear — cannot take the first step
- HUNGER is what finally forces him to ACT
- His TRIUMPH is both physical and psychological
- Symbol: Every student facing a new subject, exam, or challenge
The Mother Seagull
- LOVING but FIRM
- Uses a FEEDING TACTIC to force her young to fly — tough love
- Hovers near him with food — she could have fed him but chooses not to
- Her calculated CRUELTY is actually KINDNESS — she knows what he needs
The Father Seagull
- PRAGMATIC — 'He must learn to fly'
- Does not coddle the young bird
- Represents NATURE'S LAW — adapt or starve
The Siblings
- Already overcame their fear
- Mock the young seagull — but this social pressure also motivates him
6. Themes (His First Flight)
1. Overcoming Fear
The central theme. Fear is NATURAL but PARALYSING. The only way out is THROUGH it.
2. Tough Love
The mother's starvation tactic seems cruel — but it WORKS. Sometimes LOVE means FORCING someone to grow.
3. The Instinct to Survive
Hunger is a powerful motivator. When the seagull MUST choose between starving and flying, he chooses to fly.
4. Family Support
The family has not abandoned him. They are PUSHING him — but they are also CELEBRATING him when he succeeds.
5. Self-Discovery
The seagull discovers his TRUE NATURE — he was born to fly. He just needed to TRY.
7. Literary Devices (His First Flight)
Imagery
- 'Green sea' and 'blue sky' — vivid natural colours
- 'His wings spread out like a pair of huge sails' — visual simile
- 'Screaming with joy' — auditory triumph
Simile
- 'His wings spread like a pair of huge sails'
- 'He flew like a bird' (ironic — he IS a bird)
Personification
- The sun 'smiled' at him — nature celebrates his triumph
- The wind 'welcomed' him — the elements embrace him
Symbolism
- CLIFF: The comfort zone — safe but limiting
- FLIGHT: Freedom, growth, maturity
- HUNGER: The force that pushes us out of our comfort zone
Psychological Realism
O'Flaherty captures the INNER CONFLICT of the young seagull — the trembling, the fear, the hesitation — in vivid detail.
Part II: Black Aeroplane by Frederick Forsyth
8. Story Setting
- Location: Night sky over Europe (between France and England)
- Time: Midnight — a moonless, stormy night
- Atmosphere: Tense, mysterious, suspenseful
- Main character: A PILOT flying alone in a Dakota airplane
9. Detailed Summary
The Journey Begins
The narrator is a pilot flying his OLD DAKOTA aeroplane from Paris to England. It is night. He looks at his watch — it is 1:00 AM. He dreams of waking up at the ENGLISH BREAKFAST table in the morning.
The moon is NOT visible. The sky is DARK. He flies over France — the lights of the city below begin to fade.
The Storm
The narrator sees a STORM ahead — a solid wall of dark clouds. His instruments show it is a DANGEROUS storm.
He has TWO options:
- Turn back to Paris (SAFE but disappointing)
- Fly through the storm (RISKY but urgent)
He decides to fly THROUGH the storm.
In the Storm
Inside the clouds, things get WORSE:
- The compass STOPS working
- The radio goes DEAD
- It is PITCH BLACK — he can see nothing
- Fuel is RUNNING LOW (only 10 minutes left)
- He has NO IDEA where he is
He is TERRIFIED. He thinks he will DIE.
The Mysterious Black Aeroplane
Suddenly, he sees a BLACK AEROPLANE flying next to him — no lights on its wings.
The pilot of the black plane:
- WAVES at him
- Signals him to FOLLOW
- The narrator obeys — he has no other option
The black plane leads him THROUGH the storm. The narrator follows blindly, placing all his TRUST in this stranger.
The Escape
The black aeroplane guides the narrator OUT of the storm. Ahead, the runway lights of an airport become visible.
The narrator has LANDED SAFELY.
The Mystery
The narrator turns to THANK the pilot of the black aeroplane.
He asks the control tower: 'Who was the pilot of the black aeroplane?'
The control tower REPLIES: 'We did not see any other plane on the radar. You were the only one in the sky tonight.'
The story ENDS with this SHOCKING revelation.
10. Characters (Black Aeroplane)
The Narrator/Pilot
- An experienced pilot
- Takes a CALCULATED RISK — flying through a storm
- Resourceful and calm under pressure
- Shows TRUST in a complete stranger (the black aeroplane pilot)
- Left WONDERING at the end — who saved him?
The Mysterious Pilot
- A COMPLETE ENIGMA
- Appears out of nowhere during a storm
- Flies a BLACK PLANE with NO LIGHTS
- Is NOT visible on radar
- Disappears after guiding the narrator to safety
- POSSIBLY a supernatural figure — or a hallucination?
- The story does NOT reveal who or what it was
The Control Tower
- Confirms the mystery — no other plane was tracked
- Represents REALITY — the factual world
- Their statement CONTRADICTS the narrator's experience
11. Themes (Black Aeroplane)
1. Trust in Strange Situations
The narrator FOLLOWS a stranger without knowing him. Sometimes we must TRUST the unknown to survive.
2. The Supernatural
The unexplained ending raises questions:
- Was the pilot real?
- Was he an ANGEL?
- Was it a HALLUCINATION from stress and oxygen deprivation?
- The story does NOT answer — and that's the point
3. Human Helplessness vs Technology
Technology FAILS (compass stops, radio dies). The pilot is saved by HUMAN GUIDANCE — or something beyond explanation.
4. Risk and Decision-Making
The pilot chooses to ENTER the storm. Was it brave or foolish? The story leaves this open.
5. Gratitude
The narrator's first instinct after landing is to THANK his saviour. But there is no one to thank — leaving him with an eternal mystery.
12. Literary Devices (Black Aeroplane)
Foreshadowing
- 'I looked at my watch — 1:00 AM' — the mention of time builds tension
- 'The moon was not visible' — trouble ahead
Imagery
- 'Solid wall of black clouds' — visual, oppressive
- 'Pitch black' — complete darkness
- 'Fuel tank was almost empty' — growing panic
Suspense
Forsyth builds tension with SHORT, SNAPPY sentences:
- 'The compass was not working.'
- 'The radio was dead.'
- 'I had no idea where I was.'
Symbolism
- STORM: Represents life's crises — overwhelming and unpredictable
- BLACK AEROPLANE: The UNKNOWN HELPER — could be supernatural, could be a dream
- DAKOTA: Familiar, reliable, but fragile against nature
- LIGHTS OF THE RUNWAY: Salvation, safety, arrival
Mystery (Open Ending)
The story does NOT explain what happened. Readers are left with the SAME question as the narrator.
13. Comparative Analysis (AP Board Exam Focus)
This is a KEY EXAM TOPIC — comparing the two stories.
Similarities
| Aspect | Both Stories |
|---|---|
| Theme | Overcoming fear |
| Protagonist | Alone in a dangerous situation |
| Moment of Truth | Must ACT despite fear |
| Resolution | Both succeed — fly/land safely |
| Help | Both receive help (mother/mysterious pilot) |
Differences
| Aspect | His First Flight | Black Aeroplane |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Realistic animal story | Mystery/suspense |
| Fear Type | Fear of the unknown | Fear of death |
| Helper | Mother seagull (real) | Mysterious pilot (unexplained) |
| Ending | Happy, triumphant | Mysterious, puzzling |
| Lesson | Practice gives confidence | Sometimes trust is all you have |
| Tone | Warm, natural | Tense, supernatural |
14. Important Quotes
'He was flying! He was flying!' — The young seagull's triumph
'He could dive and wheel and soar as well as any of them.' — He discovers his own ability
'The black clouds were like a solid wall.' — The storm in the second story
'The compass was not working. The radio was dead.' — Technology fails
'We did not see any other plane on the radar.' — The mystery revealed
15. AP Board Exam-Specific Tips
Common Exam Questions
- Describe the young seagull's first flight (4 marks) — Sequence of fear → dive → flying → joy
- Why was the young seagull afraid to fly? (2 marks) — Fear of the unknown, fear of falling
- Role of the mother seagull (4 marks) — Tough love, feeding tactic, calculated kindness
- Describe the narrator's experience in the storm (4 marks) — Compass failure, radio dead, black aeroplane
- Compare the two stories (6 marks) — Similarities and differences in theme, character, resolution
- Who do you think was the pilot of the black aeroplane? (4 marks) — Open-ended, defend any reasonable answer
Important Points for AP Board Exams
- These are TWO SEPARATE stories — treat them individually AND comparatively
- Part I is realistic; Part II is mysterious
- The mystery of the black aeroplane is NEVER solved — that's the beauty
- Quote the text to support answers
16. Lessons and Values
- Fear is natural — everyone feels it, including animals
- The only way out is through — avoiding fear makes it worse
- Sometimes we need a push — tough love works
- Trust can come from unexpected places
- Not all questions have answers — some mysteries are meaningful
- Your potential is greater than you think — you can fly
17. Worked Examples (AP Board Pattern)
Example 1: Short Answer (2 marks)
Q: Why was the young seagull afraid to fly? A: The young seagull was afraid to fly because he feared FALLING. Although his siblings had already flown, he could not gather the courage to launch off the ledge. The vast expanse of the sea and the height of the cliff terrified him.
Example 2: Character Analysis (4 marks)
Q: Analyse the role of the mother seagull in 'His First Flight'. A: The mother seagull plays the role of a TOUGH TEACHER. She does not give in to her young one's fear. Instead, she uses HUNGER as a motivator — flying past with food, forcing him to come to her. This seems CRUEL but is actually LOVING. She knows the only way he will learn to fly is by ACTING despite his fear. Her 'starvation tactic' succeeds — the young seagull flies and discovers his true nature.
Example 3: Critical Thinking (6 marks)
Q: Compare the themes of fear and trust in both stories. A: Both stories explore fear and trust but in different ways. In 'His First Flight', the young seagull fears FALLING but trusts his MOTHER's presence. In 'Black Aeroplane', the pilot fears DEATH in the storm but trusts a STRANGER (the black aeroplane). The difference: the seagull's trust is in a known family member, while the pilot's trust is in a COMPLETE MYSTERY. Both succeed because they ACT despite fear. Both end with TRIUMPH — but the first is joyful, the second is haunting.
18. Conclusion
'Two Stories About Flying' is a CHAPTER OF CONTRASTS — one natural, one supernatural; one about growing up, one about survival; one with a clear lesson, one with an eternal mystery.
For AP Board Class 10 students:
- Both stories teach: FEAR IS A LIAR — you can do more than you think
- 'His First Flight' is about SELF-DISCOVERY through courage
- 'Black Aeroplane' is about TRUST in the unknown
- In exams, compare and contrast — both stories together are tested
- The mystery of the black aeroplane is meant to be UNANSWERED — accept it
Two stories, one message: take the leap — you were born to fly.
