Santa & Flight Crew Meet New Flight Safety Requirements
Thousands of aviation professionals around the world work tirelessly year round to ensure that Santa One‘s annual global flight goes off without a hitch. The logistics involved in ensuring that Santa Clause is able to depart the North Pole Sleighport on time to deliver gifts to boys and girls around the world on time involves cooperation for each nation and the North Pole’s Department of Governmental Affairs, as Santa One passes through every country’s airspace.
With changes to crew rest requirements, Santa Clause has added a qualified first officer this year to help him pilot the flight of Santa One (operating as NP 001). The North Pole Flight Operations Center has released that Santa’s First Officer is Amelia Elfhart, and the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has confirmed that Ms. Elfhart has accrued 1,500 flight hours at the controls at of Santa One and holds a current type rating for the aircraft.
To meet new current Captain requirements, Santa Clause has also completed the new FAA Sleigh Transport Pilot Training Program.
The Santa One aircraft, now outfitted with broadband wifi, has met all regulations to allow the flight crew to use Portable Electronic Devices through out all stages of flight, ensuring the tablet electronic package delivery logistics systems are operational throughout flight.
Three specific satellites have been launched this year, Rudolph 1, Rudolph 2 and Rudolph 3, all dedicated to triangulating the position of Santa One worldwide and helping Rudolph The Red Nose Reindeer guide Santa’s sleigh tonight.
As with every year, for a whole day, Santa One gets airspace priority and air traffic controllers world wide make a space for Santa and route all other aircraft out of his way.
The official Santa One flight plan reads as follows
Date: 25 Dec 2013
Flight No.: NP 001 (SCO 001)
Call Sign: Santa One
Captain: Kris Kringle (AKA: Santa Claus)
First Officer: Amelia Elfhart
Aircraft: Sleigh (Santa One)
Origin: North Pole
Destination: Multi-Stops / The World
Engine: Nine Reindeer
Cargo: Presents/Gifts/Cookies
… and with that … we wish you all a goodnight.
Happy Flying!
