To everyone on the nice list this year, fear not. Santa Claus has been given clearance to come to town.
The U.S. DOT announced that Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx and the FAA have given Santa Claus and his sleigh special air transportation operating authority for the night. According to Foxx, Santa has outfitted his airborne sleigh with an 8 RP engine and has had a ninth reindeer equipped with supplemental safety and navigation gear. The FAA has inspected the vehicle and certified its “airworthiness,” according to DOT.
Once Santa is airborne, responsibility for tracking his progress falls under the authority of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD).
Now in its 60th year, the Official NORAD Santa Tracker will monitor the red-suited pilot throughout the duration of his flight. Consistent with NORAD emphasis on transparency, the Tracker, complete with countdown clock, is publicly accessible at www.noradsanta.org.
