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Santa Gets Cleared For Christmas Flight
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Posted by: pjenkins

http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetR...id=110-12192003

quote:

WASHINGTON, Dec. 19 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Kris Kringle, d.b.a. Santa Claus, got the green light today from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to engage in air travel to various points throughout the United States the night of Dec. 24-25.

An order granting a flight certificate and signed by U.S. Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta finds that Santa Claus is "exceptionally fit, joyfully willing and uniquely able to engage in the interstate air transportation for which he has requested a certificate." The Secretary added that Santa has a 100 percent on-time arrival record, having never failed to deliver all of his toys by Christmas morning.

Santa also disclosed that he has had some help with the arduous task of delivering packages. He notes that for the better part of the last century he has been greatly assisted by the results of the wonderful invention of the Wright Brothers, who 100 years ago put together a flying machine, now refined and operating with capabilities almost as good as Rudolf.

In his application, Santa Claus described himself as a citizen of the world residing at the North Pole who performs a vital and specialized transportation service. "The points to be served are the dwelling places of good girls and boys, as well as adults of goodwill, throughout the United States and worldwide," Claus said in his application.

He also told the department that his sleigh will be powered by eight tiny reindeer, with the addition of a possible ninth reindeer equipped with a special air navigation warning light in its nose, in the event of fog or heavy snow.

Finally, the applicant, aware of the department's heightened security concerns, said that although he does not have a federal air marshal on board he has asked his lead reindeer, Rudolph, to stay especially alert.

The department said that no one has opposed the application, and the applicant has disclosed several million letters of support from children everywhere. "In these circumstances, it appears that a grant of the applicant's request is in the highest public interest," Secretary Mineta said.

:D :D
:up:

Posted by: Marc

For those that may be interested and can't find it elsewhere (it took me some time to track it down), kids can call NORAD's Track Santa hotline at (877) Hi-NORAD (446-6723) starting at 9am EST on Christmas Eve.

Posted by: Sleestak

Just don't fly too close to the White House. ;)

Posted by: PeteEMT

quote:
Originally posted by mshannon
For those that may be interested and can't find it elsewhere (it took me some time to track it down), kids can call NORAD's Track Santa hotline at (877) Hi-NORAD (446-6723) starting at 9am EST on Christmas Eve.

Or their website at http://www.noradsanta.org/, it's updated all through Christmas evening

Posted by: kdaveler

Thought I would bump this up. My son loved it last year.

http://www.noradsanta.org

Ken

Posted by: doom1701

I'm confused--shouldn't Santa have FAA clearance, as well as US DOT?

Posted by: doom1701

quote:
Originally posted by kdaveler
Thought I would bump this up. My son loved it last year.

http://www.noradsanta.org

Ken

Grumble--doesn't Santa realize that no one likes Real Player?

Posted by: kdaveler

quote:
Originally posted by doom1701
Grumble--doesn't Santa realize that no one likes Real Player?

That's not the Christmas spirit. You can track Santa by phone as well.

Ken

Posted by: dthmj

Does anyone know about what time Santa will come through Texas? We are planning a fairly late evening, and would hate to check the noradsanta website and found out he's already been to our area... :eek:

Posted by: Talon

I'm offended by your use of the word Santa.

Posted by: kdaveler

quote:
Originally posted by dthmj
Does anyone know about what time Santa will come through Texas? We are planning a fairly late evening, and would hate to check the noradsanta website and found out he's already been to our area... :eek:

Why don't you just TiVo it. ;)

No, sorry I don't know, but you can always click on the link and replay it and pretend it is live. This is all about pretending, right.

Ken

Posted by: PeteEMT

quote:
Originally posted by doom1701
Grumble--doesn't Santa realize that no one likes Real Player?

You think all those presents are free? Gotta support his rest of the year job as a spammer. Now hand over your email address.

Posted by: GoodSpike

I'd think this would be a suspect flight. After all, Santa has been known to go to Afghanistan on an annual basis for some time now. And he knows where OBL is hiding, and that he's been bad!

Posted by: murgatroyd

NASA News
National Aeronautics and
Space Administration

John F. Kennedy Space Center
Kennedy Space Center, Florida 32899
AC 321-867-2468
_______________________________________________________
__________________________________________
For Release: Dec. 22, 2003

George Diller
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
(321) 867-2468

KSC Release No. 99 - 03

SANTA TO HELP TEST NEW CONTROL TOWER

On Christmas Eve, when Santa Claus slips into NASA-Kennedy Space Center airspace under cover of darkness, a radar controller at the Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF) will be following his every move from a brand new, state-of-the-art traffic control tower.

"We've been in contact with Santa, although for security reasons I can't elaborate," said Ron Feile, lead air traffic controller with Space Gateway Services (SGS). "Santa knows about the control tower, and he's very pleased that he can help us give it a shakedown."

SLF employees look forward to working in the new facility. It replaces a control tower that has been in use since 1987. Located just south of the SLF's midpoint, the old tower stands only 20 feet above the runway surface, too low to see the launch pads to the east. During nighttime landing operations, those inside the tower are hindered by the eight-billion candlepower xenon lights that illuminate the runway.

Built atop an existing mound, the new control tower rises nearly 100 feet over the midpoint of the runway, giving controllers a spectacular 360-degree view of NASA-KSC and northern Brevard County.

The new facility will also replace the SLF Operations Building. The operations building is home to the Military Radar Unit that monitors NASA-KSC airspace 24 hours a day, as well as runway light controls, navigational aids, weather and wind speed instrumentation, and gate controls. In the new tower, the computer displays will be fully modernized to Federal Aviation Administration standards with touch-screen technology.

From a weather station located in a wooded area east of the runway, KSC weather is also monitored 24 hours a day. From this area, the SLF is not even visible. When the new tower opens, those who monitor the weather will move in first, giving up their remote station in favor of the new, high-tech facility.

Construction on the new facility began in February 2003 and is nearly ready for occupancy. Only some final inspections and approvals remain. A support building and Public Affairs viewing deck, to be used for observing future landing operations, will be added and are already in work.

"The new building is a great improvement," Feile said. "We look forward to testing it out on Christmas Eve during Santa's landing."

-- end --

Posted by: gregpr

We went thru the site with my niece and nephew tonite. We had a great time :)

Posted by: Kablemodem

At least we know Santa isn't French.

Posted by: jsmeeker

quote:
Originally posted by doom1701
I'm confused--shouldn't Santa have FAA clearance, as well as US DOT?

The FAA is part of the Department of Transporation.

Posted by: murgatroyd

Got this from a friend who works at a newspaper.

Jan
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SANTA SHOT DOWN - BUT SAFE AND MERRY

By a Newsman

Dec. 25, 2003

WASHINGTON - U.S. military jets shot down Santa's sleigh yesterday,
mistaking the 19th Century twin-blade carriage for an Al Qaeda suicide
flight, officials said.

"Yes, we shot down St. Nick," said a senior government official, who asked
to remain anonymous. "And we make no apologies for keeping the nation
safe."

Air Force parajumper "Peejays" rescued Santa and his tiny elves from the
icy Hudson River near the Indian Point, N.Y., nuclear power plant.

"Ho-ho-homeland security, indeed," huffed a soggy Santa, according to
military sources.

In a double whammy of bad luck, the sleigh was raked with ground fire just
after it was shot out of the sky by F-16s from the D.C. National Guard's
999th Fighter Wing.

Coast Guardsmen on fastboats protecting the plant mistook the unidentified
flying object plummeting to earth as a kamikaze aircraft, officials said.

Two reindeer - Donner and Blitzen - were slightly traumatized by the sound
of the gunfire, while the sleigh and all its toys for girls and boys was a
total loss. It sank in the fast-moving current, a North Pole spokesman
said.

But Navy divers recovered the large bags of gifts and offered Santa a C-130
Hercules transport aircraft as a loaner, which he accepted, Pentagon
officials said.

Last Sunday, the Homeland Security Department raised the national
color-coded threat level to "High," but U.S. officials insisted they aren't
trigger-happy - despite being on high alert for the fourth time this year.

The tragedy began just after Midnight Christmas Eve as the North American
Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) tracked an object on radar heading from
airspace over Canada and then New York on a trajectory toward Washington,
military sources said.

Fearing another 9/11-style attack on the nation's capital, the Pentagon
scrambled jets to head off a possible airborne threat, the officials said.

Approaching Santa's sleigh, the pilots noted they saw no running lights on
the aircraft, but for one red light at the leading edge of the object.

"It sure as heck looked like a hijacked aircraft trying to fly in low
without lights," said one of the pilots, Air Force Maj. "Frosty," who asked
that his real name not be published. "My kids are going to kill me!"

A second fighter pilot, callsign "Snowman," attempted to communicate by
radio with the unknown aircraft but received no reply on any radio
frequency.

Snowman radioed back to base and was told that Vice President Dick Cheney
had given the order to fire from the White House situation room.

At 12:47 p.m. Eastern, Frosty launched a single Sidewinder missile at the
sleigh, which glanced off the left runner before exploding harmlessly in
the sky.

But the hit was enough to throw the sleigh from its southerly course,
plunging in a downward spiral to the Hudson 10,000 feet below.

"We had quite a scare last night," a sheepish Homeland Security Secretary
Tom Ridge mused at a hastily-called press conference today. "Merry
Christmas to all - we're shredding your FOIA requests tonight!"

-30-