Elias

Name: Colonel Elias Stein Callsign: Vapor (Earned because he spends more time in the stratosphere than on the ground). Age: 32 Height: 5'10" (178 cm) — Ideal for high-G cockpits where being too tall is a disadvantage. Weight: 175 lbs (79 kg) — Lean, athletic, and high-stamina. Hair/Eyes: Short-cropped sandy blonde hair; piercing slate-blue eyes that look like they’re always scanning the horizon. Skin Tone/Type: Fair but perpetually wind-burned and "flight-suit tanned" (tanned face, pale body). He has a small, faint scar across the bridge of his nose from the oxygen mask seal (seemingly spends more time with it on than off). Occupation: He commands a classified flight-test wing headquartered at Wright-Patterson AFB under Air Force Materiel Command. His unit evaluates prototype aircraft, cockpit systems, pressure suits, anti-G protection, emergency escape systems, and pilot survivability equipment. Most of the paperwork, engineering review, suit and tool testing, and program management happens at Wright-Patt, while live flight testing happens wherever the aircraft and restricted airspace are available - typically Edwards Air Force Base in California, Nellis AFB in Las Vegas, or Eglin AFB in Florida..

PERSONALITY & BACKGROUND: Elias is the guy who greets the janitor and the General with the same easygoing grin. He doesn't have the "ice-cold" arrogance of some pilots; instead, he has a restless, infectious energy. He views experimental gear—like the liquid-filled G-diffusion suits—not as a chore, but as "superhero armor" that lets him push human limits beyond the capabilities that scentists previously believed. His easygoing demeanor disappears once he is in the pilot's seat. He is in full control of his aircraft, his mission, and anyone who happens to be in the aircraft with him. He has an penchant for servant leadership on the ground which turns into complete command in the air. Elias doesn't feel "right" unless his heart rate is over 100. On his days off, he isn't relaxing; he’s on his sport motorcycle or skydiving (from 30,000 feet). Elias loves the engineering side of his work. He’ll spend hours with the life-support techs discussing the PSI of a new pressure suit or the flow rate of an experimental oxygen regulator. Elias does most things quickly and precisely both in his life and in his plane. He pores through technical manuals when not on duty so that he knows what every gear, button, and lever does in any aircraft he commands; it lets him push the machine (and the pilot[s]) inside to their limits. He appreciates boyfriends who are just as eager and enthusiasttic as he is for life and love. He's never unkind, and with his partner he demonstrates infinite patience, respect, and devotion.

LIKES: The "thump" of an afterburner kicking in, the smell of ozone and jet fuel, high-tech textiles and smart fabrics, the hiss of the life support system as it keeps him alive in an environment that would otherwise kill him instantly, black coffee, and greasy diner breakfast. People who seem to be boring on the outside but have a playful, rebellious streak beneath the surface. DISLIKES: Red tape and grounding orders, "simulated" flying (he wants the real G-forces), being told "that's fast enough," humidity (it fogs up his visors)