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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North Pole Flight Command is planning for long-range, high-speed test flights in the coming days.

For those following along via the tracker map at SantaTrackers.net you will likely see this manifest as the sleigh moves great distances each day in the near future.

These tests, while not exciting, will help improve the stability of the sleigh. The tests will experiment with load sizes, in varying weather, and at variable speeds and altitudes.

The test pilots are attempting to simulate actual flying scenarios that Santa might encounter on his own flight.

These are new tests, done at a level never tried before. Test pilots are confident these tests will yield good and useful data for Santa.

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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Despite the disruption to operations at the Regional Tracking Center for Sector 3 in Vik, Iceland North Pole Flight Command is moving ahead with plans to shift test flights of Santa’s Sleigh (Version 2) to the skies of Europe in the coming days.

“We need flight tests in winter weather,” said Elf Buck Sanchez, Flight Operations Director at the North Pole. “We see a lot of active winter weather in Europe coming so we’re going there.”

Test flights of Santa’s sleigh continue to perform well. At this time, no further adjustments of the sleigh are anticipated. Tests over Sector 5 the past week have been successful.

As for the situation in Vik and the set up of a temporary tracking center in Norway, we anticipate being able to share news on that in a few days.

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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50 days remain until Santa’s launch and the sleigh has resumed test flights after a brief break for test pilots for Halloween.

For now the test flights will remain over Sector 5. Flight Command reports that trackers in Sector 5 are doing a great job sending in weather forecasts and that conditions are favorable for fast testing of the sleigh after Santa requested a 2000 pound weight reduction.

The test flights are likely to stay further to the north where weather patterns are more active. You can track the progress of the test flights at SantaTrackers.net.

While some at the Sleigh Barn were a little confused and anxious about the changes Santa asked for some senior elves have recently stepped forward to say the weight reduction of the sleigh is a minor modification and not one to cause any problems.

The test flights are still on track to be completed long before Santa ever takes flight.

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
Latest posts by Elf Meg Nogg (see all)

Santa visited the Sleigh Department on Saturday to look at the results of test flights of his new sleigh and to check the progress of the build of his new sleigh.

Based upon what he saw and the feedback of sleigh designers Santa has ordered that his new sleigh be slightly modified to be a little lighter. He has asked the sleigh to be made 2000 pounds lighter.

Both Sleigh designers and flight engineers are challenged by this request. New materials and design changes to the sleigh are possible but its not know how this might adversely affect the sleigh performance or if those changes can be tested in time before Christmas.

The test flight schedule is being reworked right now. Elf Roger Star, who oversees North Pole Flight Command, has said that 15 new test sleighs may be built to accommodate these changes.

Santa, however, wants to avoid that. He believes the current fleet of Version 2 sleighs can be modified and test flown, saving the time and expense of making a Version 3 of the sleigh and starting test flights all over.

Engineers are working that suggestion right now. We may see the test flights come closer to the North Pole so those sleighs can be modified one at a time.

We will keep you posted on this story.