Apollo And The Jet Age.

October 25, 1011 A.G
7:51 AM

It is a chilly fall morning in the cloud city of Cloudsdale, and right now, Apollo was checking himself in the mirror making sure that everything on his pilot uniform was perfect.

He had to because today is the Astra’s first flight.
Billions of creatures around the world would be tuning in to watch the world‘s first supersonic jet take off for the first time and he didn’t want any photos of him with his uniform looking unprofessional.

After he felt satisfied on the way he looked he checked his watch and realized it was almost time for him to go.

So, he grabbed his suitcase and left his hotel room for the very last time. After he returned his room key at the front desk, he left the hotel and was immediately greeted by a cold fall air.

Luckily, for him, he didn’t have to stand in the cold for long before he saw a black SUV with Omega’s logo on the side, pulled up.

After he got in the vehicle and greeted the driver, the SUV drove away.

===•••===
8:03 AM

Apollo looked out of the window and saw the large crowd of creatures surrounding the factory complex. As expected, the crown was even bigger than the one the Aspera had.

And it’s not surprising why. Back when Omega industries revealed the Astra to the world back in July, the news spread like wildfire.

Airlines were eager to order the jets, CEOs of companies who were struggling to compete against Omega were fuming, and Air forces around the world were foaming at the mouth. Eager to get their hands on Astra. Likely to convert them into military jets.

But there were also a few ponies believing that the Astra will never break the sound barrier, let alone fly three times the speed of sound. Which made Apollo eager to show those ponies what this jet can do and prove them wrong.

After SUV came to a stop, Apollo came out of the car with suitcase in hand and started heading over to the airstrip. While the press were taking photos of him or trying to shove their microphones at Apollo.

It took him a few minutes to get to where he needs to be, but to Apollo, it felt like forever.

“God, they’re more energetic than last time.”
Apollo said to himself before he looked up at the large plane in front of him.

Instead of leaving the supersonic airliner in the hanger until it was time for takeoff. Like they did with the Aspera. Patricia and her team decided to take the aircraft out of its hanger two hours before takeoff.

And Apollo is glad they did. This jet was too beautiful to keep it inside.

Its paint job is mostly white with a sky-blue stripe that went along the sides of the aircraft, on its tail is Omega industries logo and the cherry on top, Is the aircraft’s name written in platinum color letters on both sides of the aircraft. Just a few windows away from the cockpit windshield.

As he got closer to the stairs right next to the aircraft, he noticed a small little detail on the bottom left of the aircraft nose. Right below the cockpit.

It said ‘approved by Rainbow Dash’ in gold letters.

The statement made Apollo remember how this little Easter egg came to be. Back in June, Apollo gave his friends and siblings the supersonic jet. With the Omega brother’s approval, of course.

After seeing the aircraft, Rainbow Dash decided to give her seal of approval by grabbing a piece of paper, wrote the statement down and place the it right next to Astra’s front wheels. When Apollo discovered the paper later that day he requested to have it painted on the plane.

After all the world’s fastest airplane just got approved by the world fastest Pegasus. Who wouldn’t want to show that off?

“Good luck on your journey, Apollo!” Blaze yelled as he and the rest of Apollo‘s friends from the Royal guard cheered him on. The Royal sisters were also there as well.

“Thanks, guys!” He waved at them before going up the stairs and entering their aircraft. After he closed the exterior door, he got in the cockpit, put his suitcase away and sat down in the captains chair.

Apollo reached into his pocket and pulled out his walkie-talkie. “Patricia, come in Patricia.”

Patricia:“This is Patricia speaking, are you ready to go?”

Apollo: “Yes, I am. Are you?”

Patricia:”I’ve been ready. Just give my crew a few minutes to remove the stairs.”

After the ground crew did just that, Patricia put the airplane tug into gear and slowly tow the aircraft away.

When they eventually made it onto the taxiway, The gray pegasus engineer unhooked the towbar from the Astra’s front landing gear.

Patricia: “All right, it’s all up to you now. Have fun breaking the sound barrier.”

Apollo: "Don't worry, I will. See you in a few days.”

”See you later.” She replied before getting back inside the tug and driving away.

After seeing the coast was clear, Apollo put on his headset and turned on all four of the Aircraft’s engines. One by one, four of the most engines Omega has ever built, roar to life.

He pushed the throttle up a little bit and started guiding the airplane to the runway. To Apollo’s surprise, airline wasn’t as difficult to taxi compared to its subsonic sibling.

A few minutes later, the Astra was finally on the runway. After he got permission to takeoff from air traffic control, Apollo put his hands on the throttle and prepared himself.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JZ-o3iAJv4&pp=ygUWY2FuIHlvdSBoZWFyIHRoZSBtdXNpYw%3D%3D

Apollo pushed the throttle all the way up and immediately felt the power of engines pushing the aircraft forward.

Just like the Aspera did a year ago, Astra raced down the runway, eventually reaching takeoff speed and the point of no return.

“V1, rotate.” The pilot pull back on the yoke, making the plane tilted skyward and lifting off the ground for the very first time.

The crowd started the cheer. But this wasn’t what they were here for and Apollo knew this.

After he lifted up the landing gear and made a hard left towards the north, the airplane started to climb to its cruising altitude of 60,000 feet.

At this height, you can see the curvature around the planet. It was truly breathtaking.

‘Is this what John Glenn and Neil Armstrong saw when they went to space?’ He thought before he cleared his head. It wasn’t here to enjoy the view, he was here to bring a legend back.

Billions around the world watched as the plane race across the Equestrian sky. Its four powerful engines were producing large amount of thrust they propelled the jet past the speed of sound. Breaking Rainbow Dash’s record and cementing itself fastest thing to ever be built on planet Equis.

Finally, 40 minutes after takeoff, the Astra finally reached its top speed of Mach 3.2. The world stared in shock and awe, while Apollo smiled. Knowing that all the sleepless night and the stress was all worth it.

He then took his eyes off the speedometer. “Next stop, the Crystal City.” He said as the supersonic airliner flew into the history books.

===•••===
10:00 AM

it was a cold clear day above the Crystal Empire and right now, Apollo was making his descent towards the Crystal City international Air Station.

Usually take on average 6 half hours for the Aspera to fly from Cloudsdale to the Crystal city.

On the Astra, it only took two hours, which is a record in itself. In total, the Airliner broken two world records already.

Apollo could not imagine what else this thing could do, but for now he needs to focus on landing this thing.

ATC: “Astra, this is Air traffic control. Do you copy?”

“Loud and clear.”

ATC: “Good. You know, you came here faster than we thought. Good job, Astra.”

“Thanks. Do I have permission to land?”

ATC: “You have permission to land, Astra. Runway two is clear just for you. Oh, and expect a warm welcome when you arrive.”

“Good to know. Astra, over and out.”

After Apollo ended transmission, the plane finally made it through the clouds and the Crystal city came into view.

Once the symbol of the trauma that Sombra afflicted on the Empire has become one of the fastest growing cities in the world.

Construction cranes could be seen through out the skyline. As they worked around the clock to help build the various construction projects popping up all over the metropolitan area.

One of these projects that the city completed five months ago, is the city’s brand-new Air station.

And just like Manehattan, there was a big crowd of ponies waiting for their special guest to arrive. What an interesting time to be a crystal pony.

Apollo lowered the landing gear and guided the airplane towards the runway until the rear wheels touchdown on the tarmac. The sound of screeching tires could be heard until the plane came to a complete stop near the end of the runway.

When the Astra arrived at the air station hangers Apollo waited a few minutes for the portable stairs to be put in place.

After that, Apollo grabbed his suitcase, open the exterior door and walk down the stairs. Where his friends and siblings were waiting for him.

“Congratulations Titan, you did it! You broke the sound barrier!” Atlas smiled as he patted Apollo in the back.

“Apollo, what you did up there was amazing.” Twilight said.

“It was awesome!” Rainbow Dash chimed in.

“Oh, so you’re not sad about your record being broken?” Apollo ask.

“Not one bit. Even though I am the fastest Pegasus in Equestria, I knew that one day some pony would surpass me one way or another.”

“So, what’s next after this?” Applejack ask.

“I don’t know. I haven’t thought of that yet.” Apollo answered.

“Well, you have all the time in the world now to think about that.” Artemis smiled.

It was at this moment when a familiar blue sea pony journalist emerged from the crowd and approached the group.

“Is that who I think it is?” Apollo said.

“Yep. Mira breeze of the Phoenix Times, at your service.” The journalist replied.

“Huh, I never thought we would see you this far North. Not that I’m complaining.” Atlas said.

“Of course I would be here. My job is to cover the news, especially historic moments like this. Is it ok if I take a group photo of all of you?”

“Of course you can.” Apollo said.

After every pony got together for the photo, Mira aimed her camera at them and said “Say cheese.”

“Cheese!” They smile before they got their photo taken. Which would be on the front cover of the Phoenix times newspaper later that day.

===•••===

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pa3c9aVGIaU&pp=ygUfaG9sc3QganVwaXRlciBzaG9ydGVuZWQgdmVyc2lvbg%3D%3D

Three weeks after its first flight, the Astra officially entered commercial service and became just as successful as the Aspera.

This major success encouraged Omega industries to take on more airplane projects, both civilian and military.

Even though his partnership with the company ended a few weeks after the Astra started its service life. Apollo stayed in touch with Patricia, Astro and Roy, sometimes even meeting with them from time to time.

Despite rival companies creating their own airplanes to compete with Omega’s jets, the Astra and the Aspera held special place in the industry for ushering in the new age of aviation. And eventually became the symbols of Equestrian ingenuity.

All of this wouldn’t have happened if it wasn’t for a certain human with a dream, a dream of a new jet age.