How does Santa Prepare for the Big Flight?

[Credit: Adobe Stock/ vectorfusionart]

Question: I have heard people say that Santa Claus is the most experienced pilot there is. Does anyone know what certificates and ratings he holds? How does he prepare for the big night?

READ MORE: Giving Santa a Flight Review

Answer: Santa has opted out of the FAA's pilot database, but we have it on good authority that he is the one and only pilot to hold the coveted multi-deer sleigh (MDS) rating. He maintains a Class 1 medical certificate.

Like the rest of us, he undergoes a flight review every two years. Engine-out procedures are simulated by relaxing the reins on one side. His short-field and spot landings are legendary.

Santa maintains his night and instrument currency by flying once a month with the team. He also has a cadre of skilled flight specialist elves who create the annual flight plan that he flies in a sleigh simulator months in advance, making tweaks for maximum efficiency.

READ MORE: Is Santa’s Sleigh Airworthy?

Santa is also one of the most experienced and proficient instrument pilots, as many years ago he obtained an STC for Rudloph's nose to guide the sleigh in zero-zero visibility. The sleigh is registered as experimental and equipped with the latest in avionics, as Santa has his own version of Skunk Works at the North Pole.

ask flying FAA pilot rating Santa Clause

Meg GodlewskiAuthor

Meg Godlewski has been an aviation journalist for more than 24 years and a CFI for more than 20 years. If she is not flying or teaching aviation, she is writing about it. Meg is a founding member of the Pilot Proficiency Center at EAA AirVenture and excels at the application of simulation technology to flatten the learning curve. Follow Meg on Twitter @2Lewski.