I just flew from Berlin, Germany, to Atlanta, Georgia, and it took me 24 hours due to the weather-related delay during my stopover in New York. Like many other passengers, I was so worn out, annoyed, and helpless that I could barely hold it together.
The pilot, called Thierry Beyeler, was different. He left the flight deck and walked to the dissatisfied passengers to apologize and comfort them. The pilot’s appropriate behavior set the tone and ensured no one got angry. It reminded me of the beauty of “elegance under pressure”. Thierry Beyeler was a pilot with Swiss International Air Lines, for which he flew various aircraft. During the delay, I had the chance to speak to Beyeler and learn about his experience as a pilot.
He said, “Flying is a bit like eating chocolate. I love every flight. However, when you have16 flights in four days, then that’s too much chocolate for me...”. As for crisis situations, he did have a few: “Once, I had an engine failure, but that’s rare, and we handled it. Another time, we had smoke in the cabin (机舱), and we went to land quickly. In the end, it was just the air conditioning having some problems…” He believes, “As Murphy’s law puts it, ‘What can go wrong will go wrong’. So think about it and try to prepare mentally.”
Beyeler continued, “Compared with cars, a flight is a high-risk environment; it’s not like riding a bike. Even if there was a minor error, it could have fatal consequences. Every pilot is quite professional in the field. But it is the strong mindset in the chaos that plays the key role. Humans intervene in technical systems to solve problems countless times a day, and it would be dangerous if the pilot became nervous and forgot that.”
I’ve been touched by Beyeler’s words. I understand that human factors, including confidence, courage, responsibility, and emotional intelligence, are becoming more and more important in today’s world.
16. How did Beyeler sound facing the long delay according to the text?
A.Depressed and tired. | B.Calm and optimistic. |
C.Helpless and anxious. | D.Annoyed and sympathetic. |
17. What does Beyeler want to show by mentioning “eating chocolate”?
A.Flying brings him much fun. | B.Flying involves various crisis situations. |
C.Too many flight tasks can be unbearable for him. | D.Too many crisis situations have happened to him. |
18. What does Beyeler consider critical, for pilots during emergencies?
A.Gaining a good sense of time. | B.Having great strength of mind. |
C.Knowing all the technical systems well. | D.Having a good grasp of professional knowledge. |
19. What did the author think of his communication with Beyeler?
A.Boring. | B.Frightening. | C.Rewarding. | D.Confusing. |
20. Which of the following would be the best title for the text?
A.An adventurous trip to Atlanta. | B.The potential crisis situations on the plane. |
C.Major factors influencing traffic safety. | D.The lessons from the pilot Beyeler. |