Filed by Skydrop Quillfeather, Cloudbase Correspondent
Last night, the skies of Wonderbolts Academy shimmered not with stars—but with chaos, sweat, and a brand-new flight pattern. Under the lead of SAP Rainbow Dash and LT Wave Glider, bolts across all ranks participated in a New Formation Trials session featuring a never-before-attempted move: The Purple Star Salutation.
This bold new formation was inspired by the final coronation flight from the My Little Pony series finale, adapted specially for WBA skies.
🛫 Warmups and Wing Rotations
The evening began with good old-fashioned warmups. Rainbow Dash ran the cadets through coordinated carpet exercises, engaging everypony’s memory and agility.
“I can smell your sweat!”
— Rainbow Dash, with just a hint of concern.
After several rotation drills and a few slips from newer bolts like God Apple, the group took flight.
🌟 Formation Reveal: The Purple Star Salutation
Rainbow Dash then unveiled the night’s centerpiece: a mirrored flight formation split into Blue Team and Yellow Team. The objective? Synchronize flight paths perfectly so mirrored teammates would meet on a vertical rainbow line, bounce in unison, and return to formation—without stopping.
“It’s not about stopping—it’s about timing.”
— SAP Rainbow Dash
The pattern required awareness, communication, and a whole lot of midair adaptability. While Scootaloo found it manageable and fun, Gripwing was less convinced, initially calling it “awful” (before admitting it was “perfecto” later on).
Despite a few bumpy attempts and a humorous moment when Gripwing veered wildly off path—”It was the white lane’s fault!”—the team showed steady improvement.
🎯 Synchro Goals and New Rules
Rainbow introduced a vital new rule mid-flight:
“If you arrive first at the white line—wait for your mirrored teammate.”
This rule helped tighten synchronization, with pairs like Wave Glider and Gripwing, and Lime Berry and Thunder Sky, praised for their precision. Others took time but gradually found their rhythm.
🏁 Races, Zoomies, and Laughter
After formation drills, the team transitioned into relay races and a fast-paced FFA lap. Amid some confusion and a few “lag” excuses (we’re looking at you, Celestia 😄), Starlight Glimmer sprinted to first place, earning cheers and GG’s from all sides.
🧼 Locker Room Reflections
Back in the locker room, Dash checked in with everypony about the new move. Here’s what the bolts had to say:
- Starlight: “It’s kinda hard—but I really like it!”
- Scootaloo: “I liked it.”
- Prism Dust: “Pretty cool!”
- Thunder Sky: “A good challenge, I love it.”
- Lime Berry: “Confusing at first, but I got it.”
- Princess Celestia: “Fun, colorful, and a little confusing—but good!”
Even Gripwing, the loudest critic of the night, called it “a-a-a-Perfecto.”
✍️ Final Thoughts from Skydrop
Sometimes, formation training isn’t about flawless execution—it’s about team effort, adaptability, and laughing through the turbulence.
The Purple Star Salutation might still need polish, but one thing is clear: the Wonderbolts aren’t afraid to try bold new maneuvers, even if it means crashing (gracefully) a few times along the way.
Altius Volantis. Soaring Higher.
— ✒️ Skydrop Quillfeather
