StellaAtra

StellaAtra is an Aidian multinational corporation that designs, manufactures, and sells airplanes, airships, rotorcraft, rockets, satellites, and missiles worldwide. The company also provides leasing and product support services. StellaAtra is among the largest global aerospace manufacturers; it is the fifth largest space contractor in the world based on 1920 revenue, and is the second-largest exporter in Aidia by credit value.

StellaAtra was founded by Quintus Betilienus in Kent Minor, Arci, on 17 Wintersend, 1872. The present corporation is the result of the merger of StellaAtra with Aidian Aero on 1 Highsummer, 1901. Then chairman and CEO of StellaAtra, Lucas Bassot, assumed those roles in the combined company, while Caeso Statioleius, former CEO of Aidian Aero, became president and COO.

StellaAtra's corporate headquarters is in Cor Urbis, Arci, Aidia as of 1923. The company is organized into four primary divisions: StellaAtra Commercial Aircraft (SACA), StellaAtra Defense (SAD), StellaAtra Global Services (SAGS), and StellaAtra Space Division (SASD). StellaAtra has been ranked as the second largest company in Aidia by ABO Finance in 1920.

Background
StellaAtra was started n 1872, when Aidian architect Quintus Betilienus founded BlackStar Aero in Kent Minor, Arci. Shortly before doing so, he, along with a small team of engineers, designed the Beginner. The company built and operated two Beginner aircraft for paying passengers who wanted a quick trip between Cor Urbis and Taios, the two largest cities in Aidia. However, much like the rest of the world, many preferred taking the train instead of flying, and the company quickly began having financial trouble. However, with attack aircraft becoming increasingly popular as the Great War drew near its end, the government of Aidia began employing BlackStar to produce planes that could take down enemy airships.

Production during the Great War
Near the end of the Great War, Blackstar entered the defense industry by submitting its first warplane entry to the Aidian government: the Slasher 1, an open-cockpit single-place tractor biplane. The Slasher 1 was used by Aidia and various other Imperial nations throughout the remainder of the war. The Slasher 1 filled ground-attack, air-to-air, and even strategic bombing roles in all theaters of the war in which it was operated. Blackstar quickly became one of Aidia's top companies due to war contracts, which eventually culminated in its products being the third largest Aidian contribution to the war effort. All told, BlackStar and its new subsidiary, Nova Air-systems, produced NUMBER aircraft during the Great War, including NUMBER Crusher 1s, NUMBER Overseer 1s, NUMBER Slasher 1s, and NUMBER Slasher 2s.

Postwar production
During the Great War, Blackstar, along with Nova Air-systems and the newly created Fly Aidia, developed their first line of passenger airships, called the Traverser. Soon, with the war being over after the Alscheid Accords, many BlackStar Aircraft were given new designations and converted into civilian roles, i.e. the Overseer 1 being turned into a cargo airship and given the designation Lofter. Once the Traverser was released, BlackStar quickly turned to cornering as much of the aviation market as they could, which meant diving into new technologies. While it wasn't the very first even at this point, BlackStar wanted to be one of the first companies to develop a production passenger airplane to profit off of the technological progress made during the Great War. As such, Blackstar began experimenting with various plane designs, and eventually pushed out the BlackStar Jumper in late 1879. The Jumper promised to be a faster, better way to travel when compared to airships, and while the former promise may have ended up being true, the latter promise fell short in the eyes of most passengers. The Jumper ran into many issues with its debut. Passengers complained about a number of things including the lack of stability in the ride, the small, cramped seating, and (most commonly) the noise. While most aircraft companies would learn their lessons from this period, BlackStar, and later StellaAtra, would continue to attempt to introduce plane models into the passenger airline market two more times, with them finally succeeding with the StellaAtra Wanderer.

While passengers would prove to be picky, the military, however, would not. Already having ties with many Imperial nations and colonies thanks to the Great War, BlackStar would use their influence to produce new aircraft for the militaries of many nations. Their first postwar model of fighter craft, named the BlackStar Attacker, was rolled out in 1882, along with the BlackStar Breaker. Blackstar would continue to develop different airplanes until they culminated in the BlackStar Skybreaker and its variants. The BlackStar Skybreaker, with variants being called the BlackStar Sojourner and BlackStar Defender, was released in 1886. It was BlackStar's second attempt to introduce the airplane into the airliner business. This time, as other companies began noticing trends in the success of their aircraft, BlackStar made a plane that focused on range so they could use it as a faster alternative to intercontinental travel. The Skybreaker line saw relative success as many found the shorter flight times worth the loud and rocky ride, especially in situations where speed was necessary. However, the Skybreaker's prosperity would be short lived thanks to the 1887 Energy Crisis.

1887 energy crisis
The 1887 energy crisis proved to be a difficult period for BlackStar. The sales of their now flagship product, the Skybreaker, plummeted overnight as fuel became incredibly scarce. Blackstar's executives at the time claimed the entire event was devastating for the company. Due to BlackStar's specialization in airplanes, they struggled to keep the company afloat. While their airship products began selling more, the lack of numbers in those products meant that sales failed to turn a profit for the company as a whole. As the fuel shortage went from lasting months to lasting years, BlackStar continually struggled to produce enough airships to keep their figures good. On 22 Embertide, 1892, BlackStar filed for bankruptcy.

The Aidian Commerce Authority took on BlackStar's bankruptcy case, but the agency held the company in review as it was divided on whether to let the company fold or revitalize it. It took 3 months for the Aidian Commerce Authority to grant the company government resources to help it recover, claiming the company was "integral to the Imperial Military." BlackStar was allowed to merge with its subsidiary, Nova Air-systems, and another Aidian aerospace company that had filed for bankruptcy shortly after BlackStar, Island Aeronautics. BlackStar was also given direct government funding to push the company towards developing more airships, including granting them ownership of a facility near Industria. However, the government's aid was not free. Much of the money was given out on loan, and several conditions were set for the company. These conditions included: Producing NUMBER of commercial airships, developing a new military airship model, the replacement of most of the company's executives, and several others. BlackStar had little choice but to accept the claim, and so it set to work on fulfilling the agreements it had made. It would be a year and a half before BlackStar would develop its next line of airship models. It had increased the amount of airships it produced substantially during the period, but designs for the next-generation of airship were slow to be produced, and many of their prototypes developed several flaws as the company tried to produce an airship that could viably compete in the now-flooded market. BlackStar would finally release the BlackStar Harbinger in 1894, which promised to be a state-of-the-art mobile command base for imperial forces. The Harbinger proved to be a slight success, but BlackStar still had one major problem when selling its products: it's name became synonymous with airplane manufacturing, and airships from the company were treated with suspicion by buyers. Philippe Hauet, the company's CEO at the time, decided that BlackStar Aero needed a relaunch. On 13 Highwinter, 1895, the company officially applied with the Aidian Commerce Authority to change their name to a more native one: StellaAtra Aero.

A new name
The newly christened StellaAtra Aero immediately slapped its new name on its products still in production. The BlackStar Defender became the StellaAtra Defender, the BlackStar Harbinger became the StellaAtra Harbinger. Using clever marketing and assistance from the Aidian Commerce Authority, which was still helping the company rejuvinate, StellaAtra portrayed itself as a brand new company, going to great lengths to conceal their previous identity. The success with the rebrand was limited within the first year, but 1896 saw the rebrand begin to succeed. The StellaAtra Harbinger became a popular model, and it, along with the StellaAtra Glider, would serve as the company's flagship products for years to come. Despite the energy crisis being in full effect, StellaAtra would continue to fund development projects for fixed wing aircraft. Many didn't sell, but StellaAtra felt it safe to put out very small batches of their planes to avoid poor sales figures being a problem. These aircraft included the StellaAtra Navigator, StellaAtra Coaster, and StellaAtra Supplier. While commercial fixed-wing aircraft were in very low demand, military fixed-wing aircraft became much more sought after, especially fighter craft. StellaAtra's first production fighter after the rebrand was dubbed the StellaAtra Contender, which released in 1896. StellaAtra would release the StellaAtra Suppressor mere months after the Contender. Both would become common in the air forces of Imperial nations. Soon, the turn of the century would both see the end of the Energy Crisis and the beginning of another era in aviation: the jet era.

The jet era
When the first jet aircraft was developed by Caliane and Gelenia in 1897, many aircraft companies hadn't paid much attention to the invention. Jet engines weren't considered a viable investment as the 1887 energy crisis being in full swing. However, once the energy crisis started to end the following year, aerospace companies began taking interest in jets. One such company was StellaAtra, who had already begun working on jet prototypes by this point. StellaAtra debuted its first jet plane in 1899 with the StellaAtra Streamer, a single-jet fighter that became the empire's second jet fighter. The Streamer was a hit success, especially in Caliantene colonies, and soon StellaAtra would begin shifting all of their aircraft development into jet-based craft.

While Stella Atra would push out the Streamer (and the Striker a couple years after), the company kept quiet about other projects involving the jet engine. In 1901, however, StellaAtra suddenly announced the launch of the StellaAtra Wanderer. The StellaAtra Wanderer was the world's second jet airliner, releasing after the NAME HERE from Miyadaka. The Wanderer offered a faster, quieter flight than its turboprop competitors and had a larger range, making it more viable for fast intercontinental travel. At first, the Wanderer struggled to sell, with many choosing the NAME HERE. However, after a couple of high-profile crashes, many were willing to give the Wanderer attention instead. The Wanderer slowly became the staple in long-distance aviation it's known for today, with StellaAtra eventually making four commercial models and a military model known as the StellaAtra Watcher.

Even with the invention of the jet engine, StellaAtra learned from the 1887 Energy Crisis and continued to produce airships to keep its name afloat. The StellaAtra Glider released in 1900, providing smaller airships to small companies and even individuals. StellaAtra became very successful during the beginning of the jet era. The constant stream of airships helped it keep afloat while the brand-new jets propelled it into a new level of prosperity. With the company's newfound success, executives began seeking ways to expand the company's operations and increase their market share. This culminated in Highsummer of 1901, where, after months of negotiating, StellaAtra Aero merged itself with Aidian Aero.

Merge with Aidian Aero
StellaAtra had two main competitors in the Caliantene Empire for the largest market share in the aerospace industry: Rosseau Aeronautics and Aidian Aero. The former, backed by the massive Rosseau AG, held the largest market share of the aerospace industry in the world, however the latter was smaller than StellaAtra and only made cargo airships for local transport companies. When StellaAtra's CEO at the time, Lucas Bassot, approached Aidian Aero, Aidian Aero's executives had no interest in selling the company due to the successes of their airships during the 1887 Energy Crisis. However, after one of their airships, the SS Lantern, crashed into the Mithran Ocean, the company's stock value plummeted. Aidian Aero's executives quickly agreed to the merging of the two companies afterwards, and the merge became official on 19 Highsummer, 1901. The following day, StellaAtra applied with the Aidian Commerce Authority to change its name once again, this time ditching the Aero and becoming just StellaAtra AG.

StellaAtra once again wasted no time relabeling Aidian Aero's products and facilities. The AAZ-009 became the StellaAtra Skipper, and the AAZ-114 became the StellaAtra Lancer. StellaAtra also discontinued the AAZ-002 and the AAM-019 product lines completely. The engineering teams from Aidian Aero were put to work in the airship sub-division of the newly established StellaAtra Commercial Aircraft division, which gave StellaAtra's teams more resources to work on fixed-wing aircraft. Several years after the merger in 1907, StellaAtra announced the StellaAtra Rocketeer project, which was revealed to be a wide-bodied trijet meant for maximizing travel across the globe.

While passenger jets offered some revenue, most of StellaAtra's products were, and still are, defense aircraft. StellaAtra developed the StellaAtra Hunter line in 1915

Divisions
The corporation's four main divisions are StellaAtra Commercial Aircraft (SACA), StellaAtra Defense (SAD), StellaAtra Global Services (SAGS), and StellaAtra Space Division (SASD).

StellaAtra Commercial Aircraft (SACA) is responsible for building commercial aircraft including the Wanderer, Rocketeer, Courier, Entrepreneur and Keeper as well as various other freighter, airship, and business jet models. The division employs nearly NUMBER people, many working at the company's manufacturing facilities in Cor Urbis, Kent Minor, and Industria.

StellaAtra Defense (SAD) builds military aircraft, including the Hunter, Marauder, Overseer, and Ripper aircraft.

StellaAtra Global Services (SAGS) provides aftermarket support, such as maintenance and upgrades, to customers who purchase equipment from SACA, SAD, or from other manufacturers.

StellaAtra Space Division (SASD) manufactures various satellites, spacecraft, and space launch vehicles, and has become Aidia's main contribution to the Imperial Space and Aeronautics Organization.

Political and governmental contributions
In 1918 and 1919, StellaAtra was second on the list of Top 10 Aidian Government Contractors. StellaAtra has been chosen by many Imperial governments to be one of their main defense contractors, sometimes competing with Rosseau's Aeronautics division for contracts.

StellaAtra has been the largest contributor in lobbying for the defense industry in Aidia since 1910, surpassing Rosseau's contribution in that year. StellaAtra has a corporate citizenship program centered on charitable contributions, mostly centered around contributing to the Aidian Peace Foundation and awarding university scholarships to promising engineering students. The company often engages in international outreach programs to help sell its products abroad, including one time flying NAME, Hearthrune's President of the Chapter, around the world to help boost sales within the country.

In 1921, the company secured several leasing agreements from international airline companies.

Criticism
Several Aidian political entities have criticized StellaAtra for supplying and profiting from wars, including several instances where StellaAtra missiles were found to have been used for indiscriminate attacks in the Korashan Wars, especially in Nogoso.

List of Active Products
A partial listing of products produced by StelllaAtra that is still in use.

Airliners and civil transports

 * StellaAtra Courier
 * StellaAtra Entrepreneur
 * StellaAtra Rocketeer
 * StellaAtra Skybreaker
 * StellaAtra Wanderer

Military transports

 * StellaAtra Carrier
 * StellaAtra Runner

Fighters

 * StellaAtra Hunter

Bombers

 * StellaAtra Ripper

Patrol and reconnaissance

 * StellaAtra Watcher
 * StellaAtra Defender

Helicopters

 * StellaAtra Ravager
 * StellaAtra Hopper

Military Airships

 * StellaAtra Harbinger
 * StellaAtra Overseer
 * StellaAtra Marauder

Automobiles

 * StellaAtra Cancer