Elf Meg Nogg
Elf Meg Nogg
Elf News Reporter at North Pole News Network
Elf Meg graduated from Southern North Pole University with a degree in journalism. For several years she was a star reporter for the North Pole Gazette and then briefly served as a producer for North Pole Radio News. She brings her experience in media to North Pole Flight Command, serving as both an Elf News Reporter for North Pole Radio News and Managing Editor of North Pole Flight Command.com
Elf Meg Nogg
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First Test Flights Recorded

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The first test flights of Santa’s new sleigh have been monitored here at North Pole Flight Command. Last month Santa signed off on the first authorized sleigh re-design and the sleigh was built in the North Pole Research and Development Department over the past several weeks. Today that sleigh was flown for the first time.

These important first steps are critical to setting up an aggressive test flight schedule for the sleigh in the weeks and months ahead.

The first flights evaluate the safety of the new sleigh and if it is flight worthy. These are the most important steps. The test pilots who test the first flights of any new sleigh design are very brave elves. They never know exactly how a new sleigh will respond at all.

We will continue with a very strict protocol that tests very basic flight functions. These flights are short and monitored on the ground, in the air and via camera. Every safety precaution is employed.

It will take us several more days of brief flights. Then the engineers will review the data and, if necessary, will recommend design changes before going to the next phase of testing.

Many have asked when test flights can be monitored by tracking elves for their own training purposes. That is likely still several weeks away.

We will keep you posted.

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Elf Meg Nogg
Elf Meg Nogg
Elf News Reporter at North Pole News Network
Elf Meg graduated from Southern North Pole University with a degree in journalism. For several years she was a star reporter for the North Pole Gazette and then briefly served as a producer for North Pole Radio News. She brings her experience in media to North Pole Flight Command, serving as both an Elf News Reporter for North Pole Radio News and Managing Editor of North Pole Flight Command.com
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Regional Tracking Centers To Be Named Soon

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Everything is happening faster at the North Pole this year – even the scouting and the naming of Regional Tracking Centers.

In every service sector North Pole Flight Command sets up a regional tracking center. These tracking centers are basically no different than the big tracking center at the North Pole. They are just smaller and focus on their particular region.

In years past the effort to name a location in each sector has been followed by a scouting mission to find just the right place to put it. But this year it’s different.

Each region is being scouted now. We will soon be announcing the cities where each tracking center will be located. Once it is named, we will send constructions crews out to build out the facility, to be following by staffing.

It is the general goal to have each regional center operational by December 1st. Santa is pushing that up this year and wants everything ready to roll by November 1st.

That’s why things are moving along now.

We expect announcements very soon about city locations.

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Elf Meg Nogg
Elf Meg Nogg
Elf News Reporter at North Pole News Network
Elf Meg graduated from Southern North Pole University with a degree in journalism. For several years she was a star reporter for the North Pole Gazette and then briefly served as a producer for North Pole Radio News. She brings her experience in media to North Pole Flight Command, serving as both an Elf News Reporter for North Pole Radio News and Managing Editor of North Pole Flight Command.com
Elf Meg Nogg
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Only 300 Days Until Santa Launches

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Elf Max just shared via SantaUpdate.com that the countdown to Santa’s launch just reached the 300-day mark.

What does that mean here in Flight Command?

Well, there’s two things really going on right now here: the design phase of Santa’s new sleigh and flight classes for sleigh pilots and tracking department personnel.

Not many people think of the stuff we do this time of the year. But it is actually very important work.

Our goal is to improve on Santa’s speed and efficiency every Christmas. He just needs to be able to do things a little bit faster. That means designing the new sleigh in different ways that can give Santa more speed. And it means training all of our elves to find ways to help Santa get around the world in both a safe and efficient way.

It’s not easy. Just shaving a couple of minutes off of Santa’s time from last Christmas is a huge effort.

After all, elves at North Pole Flight Command have been doing this for decades. It takes a lot of education in math and science.

So we keep track of how much time we have until Santa needs to take off again on his merry mission. There are hundreds of different things that have to happen before Santa can launch.

We have to design the sleigh. Then it has to be built. Then it has to be flight tested. Then it has to be re-design, built and tested again. We do this over and over and over until we all feel we have done everything we can to improve things for Santa.

And now we have only 300 days to get that done.

All year long we will be marking time. So we appreciate when Elf Max posts these milestone dates. They remind us that we have very important work to complete.

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Elf Ernest
Elf Ernest
Vice President, Public Relations at Santa Claus LTD
Managing editor at SantaUpdate.com and Director of North Pole Radio News. Elf Ernest has worked in public relations for Santa for more than 70 years.
Elf Ernest
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Sleigh Moved into Launch Position

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Santa’s sleigh has been moved into launch position now in the Sleigh Barn.

What that means is that the sleigh itself is completely ready. It has been washed and waxed. All instruments have been freshly calibrated. Al communication systems have been checked.

Two big things have to happen before launch. The bells need to be brought in and the reindeer need to be hitched to the sleigh. This is a task Santa reserves for himself. He begins about an hour before launch, carefully checking the bridle on each reindeer, talking to them as he moves along. Of course, he starts at the rear with Donner and Blitzen and moves his way forward all the way to Rudolph.

As Santa completes each “team” and moves on the the next week, the bell technicians move in behind him to position the bells. Believe it or not, this is a procedure they practice all the time. It is very important that it is done exactly right.

Because of the weather, as is frequently the case on Christmas Eve at the North Pole, a “short launch” from a standing position from within the sleigh barn is necessary. This means that instead of a slow gradual ascent powered by a long trot the reindeer must begin with a burst of speed like they are running a short race.

As Santa gently walks the reindeer towards the large double doors he briefly stops, gives his command and the reindeer take off like a shot straight into the blowing snow. This too is a procedure they have practiced many times.

To answer those who always ask this question: no, Rudolph’s nose is OFF for this kind of take-off. The reason is because in heavy falling snow his light reflects off the snow flakes. It actually makes it harder for the reindeer to see if it is on. Only after the team is airborne does Rudolph “turn it on”.

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