60 Seconds with Col Jody Hanson, NORAD Tracks Santa
Video / December 22nd 2023
Transcript
Col Jody Hanson: I’m Colonel Jody Hanson, and I work at the Canadian NORAD Region headquarters in Winnipeg, Manitoba. And I am here today to do the 60 Second Challenge.
“How fast are Rudolph and the other reindeers?”
Rudolph and the other reindeers are as fast as light, and they’re definitely as fast as CF-18s. Sometimes they fly together during portions over Northern Canada, when the CF-18s are making sure that he’s flying safely.
“What does Santa look like on the NORAD radar?”
So, we use all of our NORAD radars, satellites, and military aircraft to monitor Santa’s movements. And when he is on our radars and our satellites, we see him on great big screens in our Operations Centre, and he shows up like a green blip on a radar scope. And he can see him moving across the screen.
“How does Santa fly around the world in one night?”
Santa uses his sleigh with the reindeer, and they’re travelling so fast that he can easily go to all the children’s homes all across the world. Typically, he will start at the International Date Line, and he will travel westwards, using a North and South path that goes all the way around the globe in one full circle.
“I am visiting my family in Canada this year from the USA. Will Santa still be able to find me?”
Santa knows where you are no matter what! Even if you’re staying home, or if you’re visiting your family and friends.
“How do reindeer fly?”
Reindeer’s fuel is based on the excitement, love, generosity, and happiness that people experience during the holiday season.
“How does Santa stay warm with all the wind in his face?”
Because Santa travels so fast, he actually travels faster than wind. So, there is no wind in Santa’s face when he’s on his sleigh. So, he gets to stay nice and warm as he’s travelling all around.
Those are all my questions! I finished them all. So have a wonderful holiday season, and I wish you the best of luck in 2024.