But as he goes through with his usual practice, the world outside is busy with aviation news of a very different tone. More than eleven years after Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 vanished with 239 people onboard, the search for the missing aircraft is set to resume. The Malaysian government has approved a new deep-see expedition, fueled by new technology and renewed hope.
On March 8, 2014, MH370 disappeared while flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. What followed became one of the most complex and heartbreaking mysteries of modern aviation. Two huge underwater searches failed to locate the lost aircraft, leaving behind only scattered pieces of debris that washed ashore on distant coastlines.
Storm remembers discovering the case at a very young age. “I think I was about nine or ten years old” he recalls. “I was looking up aircragt videos on youtube, and then a came across theories about this crash. I wasn’t aware of it when it happened, but a few months later I became really interested”.
Finally, after years of uncertainty, Malaysia has agreed to a new search led by Ocean Infinity, a marine robotics company. They will be using advanced underwater vehicles that are capable of scanning the deep-see terrain of the ocean. The team will target a zone in the southern Indian Ocean considered the most likely resting place of the lost Boeing 777.
The mission is based on a “no find-no-fee" basis. Which means that the search will only be paid for if the team actually successfully finds the plane. “it’s no suprise they’re trying again”,” he says. “There have been many search operations that were never successful, the families still have questions”.
For someone training to fly, MH370 is more than a mystery, it is a represents the challenges and responsibilities that are part of aviation today.
At the KLM academy, students spend long hours learning communication procedures, emergency protocols and automation management. “Safety is the most important thing of all”, Storm states. “Since I had the dream of becoming a pilot, my main goal has always been to fly people around the world safe”.
Though aviation remains the safest mode of transport, tragedies like MH370 have pushed the industry towards change. New satellite-based tracking technologies are now standard. Regulations around communication and aircraft monitoring have tightened. Airlines and training schools emphasize transparency and crisis management more than ever.
Still, the case lingers in Storm’s mind. “Everybody is scared”, he admits “things like this are crazy, a whole plane just vanished. I wouldn’t want that to happen to me or anybody I know”. This awareness shapes how he trains “it’s always in my head,” he says.
For most people, MH370 is a headline from the past resurfacing in the news. For future pilots, it is part of the identity of their profession, a reminder of responsibility, uncertainty, and humility. Still, the case lingers in Storm’s mind. “Everybody is scared”, he admits “things like this are crazy, a whole plane just vanished. I wouldn’t want that to happen to me or anybody I know”. This awareness shapes how he trains “it’s always in my head,” he says.
While the world is continuing the search for MH370, the next generation of young pilots like Storm Pauwels are already shaping what comes next for aviation.