Question

Why Does the Narrator Say, “I Landed and Was Not Sorry to Walk Away from the Old Dakota…”?

Answer 1

Hint: The context of the above question is given in the second part of the chapter ‘Two stories about flying’. It is under the heading ‘Black Aeroplane’ written by Fredrick Forsyth. It’s a story of a Pilot who is dreaming while flying the plane when he comes across stormy weather. Yet, instead of taking the flight back to safety, he flies the plane into the dark clouds and risks the life of the passengers.

Complete answer:
The pilot of the old Dakota plane was flying the plane from France to England. While flying he started dreaming of spending his holiday time with family and that he will soon be with his family. He was thinking of the delicious breakfast that he will get once he gets back home.

It was an easy flight until he saw huge black storm clouds ahead of him in the sky. He neither had the fuel to take his plane back to France nor was he confident to be able to make it through those huge clouds. The only option he had was to risk the plane into the stormy clouds. As he entered the clouds everything became dark and nothing was visible. Compass, radio and other instruments of the plane were dead and the aeroplane twisted in the air. He panicked.

Then an aeroplane without any lights on its wings appeared in the clouds. The pilot of that plane looked at the narrator and indicated that the narrator should follow him. The narrator followed him like an obedient child. And soon he could see the runway airport lights ahead of him. He was relieved therefore he said, “I Landed and Was Not Sorry to Walk Away from the Old Dakota.”

Note: The theme of the story implies that if we keep hope or take risks then we will always end up finding the light of hope at the end of the dark tunnels. Maybe they hope will turn up in strange unexpected ways but we will definitely succeed.