Reading the Gauges

In October 1972, Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571 left Montevideo Uruguay headed for Chile carrying 45 passengers. During the flight, an inexperienced co-pilot who was at the controls thought they were off course, so he course corrected and flew the plane into a mountain ridge, shearing off both wings and the tail cone. The flight was carrying 19 members of the “Old Christians Club” rugby union team along with their families, supporters and friends. This accident and subsequent survival became known as both the Tragedy of the Andes and the Miracle of the Andes.

There are many stories of people who thought they were on the right track initially but eventually realized they were way off course, perplexed by how they got there. For some, they were on the right track but questioned their direction deciding to change course, nose diving their life and sometimes others’ lives as a result.

In Flight 571, the inexperienced co-pilot failed to read the gauges! Had he done so, he would have seen that he wasn’t off course at all and tragedy could have been avoided.

Do we fail to read the gauges? Are we staying aware of when we are off track and need to correct or when we are still on course and just need to stand?

2 Corinthians 13:5 – Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Meaning are we aligned with God’s will and mind. It’s good to take inventories (read the gauges) throughout the day to reflect and ask if our direction, attitudes, choices and emotions are lining up with God’s. What starts out on solid ground, can quickly hit 30,000 feet and 1,000 miles or more off course. If left unaddressed, we could find ourselves broken on the mountain side waiting for rescue with casualties all around.

I love how there were two identifiers of Flight 571’s story. It was a tragedy, but it was also a miracle. Not all was lost. Though there were 29 fatalities, there were also 16 survivors. God can and does turn our messes into miracles. Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose.” Let us hope it doesn’t require casualties in the process.

One final thought crossed my mind when reading this story. It was in the school’s name “Old Christian’s Club”. Reflecting on a meaning for us today? Let’s also make sure that as a passenger journeying with other club members, whoever is in the co-pilot seat is keeping an eye on the gauges as well.