ISALC: ESL 382: Computer Applications - Fall 2000
Hatchet: Student Survival Guide

This is what I knew about how to fly an airplane before reading Hatchet:

I didn't have very much information about how to fly an airplane before reading Hatchet. I just knew some general information, for example, I knew that any airplane had controls, and two pilots stayed inside the cockpit. Also I knew that all the passengers sat behind the cockpit. On the other hand, I didn't know how to fly an airplane, or how to control it.

This is why flying an airplane was important in Hatchet:

The airplane was very important in Hatchet. When Brian wanted to visit his father in the beginning of Hatchet he went by airplane. As a result, it was important for Brian to know how to fly after the pilot had a heart attack on their way to see Brian's father. Brian didn't know how to fly the plane and he tried to help the pilot, or tried to find somebody for help. He couldn't handle it because he didn't know how, or what he should do. Brian was trying so many times to find any solution. In fact, he crashed in the lake because he didn't know how to land the airplane, and also the gas started to run out, and he would have been in danger of death or injury. As a result, if Brian had known how to fly or how to control the airplane he could have landed very safely without any problems.

After reading Hatchet and completing my Internet research, this is what I have learned about how to fly an airplane:

There are four important forces you should learn about before starting to fly an airplane (before you click on it you need Shockwave, please click here to download if you don't have it). The first point is "lift," which is a force supplied by moving air. The air must reach both sides, the top and bottom of an airplane at the same time. Also, the air traveling over the top of the wing is faster, so that gives high pressure to push the airplane up. The second point is "drag," which makes an airplane slow down. The air around an airplane causes drag, so that changes its movement to slow down. The third point is "thrust," which gives an airplane the power to move from the engines, so the pilot can control an airplane by thrust to go faster or slower. As a result, thrust is the opposite of drag. Finally, there is "weight," which makes anything flying in the air go down to the earth if there is no control or power. When you throw a ball into the air it must return to the earth after a short time, depending on the speed. All of these forces together make or support an airplane to fly in the air.

Learning to fly is easy, but it needs study and practice. In the U.S., the minimum of learning to fly is 40 hours of training (20 with an instructor and 20 solo) to earn a private certificate. The first 20 hours is ground school, which means studying with the instructor. In ground school, rules, regulations and the principles of flying are studied.

The lessons are based on one hour flight, or it may take two hours because they have to make sure about your flying, what you're going to do, how you did, what needs work, and what you'll do on your next lesson. First time you might become airsick, but after two or three lessons flying you'll feel better and comfortable. Moreover, if you are afraid of flying, know that it is as safe as any other mode of travel. Also, you don't have to worry too much about it because you're going to fly in a helicopter or an airplane. They do not fall out of the sky, unless an engine stops.

In my research, I found that flying certificates are unlike driver's licenses. Certificates are good only for 24 months. The certificate is just for fun flying close to home during the day only. In other words, if you want to fly at night, cross-country you need to get private training. If you want to communicate with an airport you can do that with traffic control. However, student pilots cannot carry passengers when flying solo. If the student pilot is flying with the trainer then he/she might be able to carry their close friends or relatives.

If you'd like to learn more or to find out about how to fly an airplane, please click here ! 

Created by: krauss@lclark.edu
Updated: 10/20/00