What made the woman in the control centre look at the narrator strangely?
The woman in the control centre looked at the narrator strangely because he asked her about the other pilot who had helped him land safely. He wanted to thank the pilot of the strange black aeroplane.
However, she was surprised by his question because, according to the radar, there was no other aeroplane flying in the storm that night. The narrator's plane was the only one visible on the radar. Since she had no information about any other aircraft, the narrator's claim seemed impossible and absurd to her, prompting her strange look and laughter.
Explanation
The woman looked at the narrator strangely because his question about another pilot contradicted the factual data she had at the control centre. The chapter clearly states that she laughed and informed him that no other aeroplanes were flying that night and his was the only one on the radar. This creates the central mystery of the story, as the narrator was certain he was guided by another plane, but there was no logical or technological evidence to support his experience.