Have you ever wondered on what happens behind the scenes of Santa’s trip around the world? It takes the work of thousands of elves, sleighs, reindeer and sleigh pilots to make it happen. It takes elves of all kinds all over the world. Millions of them. This chat gives you a little insight in to all that.

Elf Roger Star, the new director of North Pole Flight Command, chatted today to share all that goes on behind the scenes. Here is the transcript of that conversation:

Elf Ernest	Folks, today’s chat is with Elf Roger Star, director of North Pole Flight Command. We will begin in just a few minutes, Elf Frank will host today’s chat.
Elf Buddy Christmas	Hello Frank!
Elf Ulan	Elf Ernest, thank you for telling us about this chat again in your post! I thought it’s tomorrow! You saved my elf life XD
Elf Frank Myrrh	Hello!
Elf Jelly Belly	I know! I havent veen on one of these in so long!
Elf Jelly Belly	prob last year- haha
Elf Ernest	TWO chat coming up tomorrow – with I think Elf Hugo and then an open chat with Frank and Crash
Elf Buddy Christmas	Lots of chats this week haha.
Elf Ulan	Hello, Elf Roger!
Elf Jelly Belly	for sure!
Elf Frank Myrrh	Ok, everyone – we’ll get started now. With us today is the FORMER International Director of Santa trackers
Elf Buddy Christmas	Hi Roger
Elf Frank Myrrh	the new director of Flight Command, Elf Roger Star
Roger Star	Hi everybody!
Shine	hi
Roger Star	So many familiar names today
Elf Ulan	Hi!
Roger Star	I forgot how fun this is!
Elf Frank Myrrh	Roger, how are you liking your new job?
Roger Star	I’m liking it. I’m learning a bunch.
Frosty McSnowflake	Hello all!
Roger Star	This will no doubt be a very different Christmas for me.
Elf Frank Myrrh	How will it be so different for you?
Shine	can’t wait for Christmas
Elf notjack	In like a good way?
Roger Star	Well, for one, I’ll be just a regular tracker, like every other elf here, Frank.
Roger Star	Yes, it will be in a good way.
Elf Frank Myrrh	Roger, since we’ve got such a big crowd here today, let’s start with their questions first, before I get to mine
Roger Star	Ok, that’s good. I know I am among friends.
Elf Frank Myrrh	Who has a question for Elf Roger, you all seem to know him well
Elf Ulan	I do!
Frosty McSnowflake	Elf Roger, is this your first Christmas at the North Pole Flight Command?
Jeffersonelf18	Elf Roger Do you know Pete the Elf on the Shelf
Roger Star	I’ve always had an office at North Pole Flight Command, so it won’t be new in that respect. But what I do now is very different.
Roger Star	No, I don’t know any Elf on the Shelf people. They aren’t North Pole elves.
Elf notjack	what exactly do you do now?
Shine	what is it like in the north pole
Jeffersonelf18	Really
Roger Star	Before, my job was all about tracking Santa. Now it’s not only about tracking Santa, but also supporting him.
Elf Ulan	Elf Roger, what do you want us to finish preparing for Operation Merry Christmas?
Roger Star	My department supports Operation Airlift, which are all the other sleighs that fly on Christmas Eve
Roger Star	We have all the reindeer operations that work those sleighs and other jobs
Jeffersonelf18	Can I still be a elf even if I am human?
Frosty McSnowflake	Is it fair to say your job this year is more about coordinating?
Roger Star	Tracking and reporting the weather, coordinating all the freight, making sure communication works.
Roger Star	Yes, Frosty McSnowflake. A billion more details for sure.
Roger Star	I will be interacting with so much more of the North Pole team.
Jeffersonelf18	‘@Roger Star: can I be an elf even if I am human
Roger Star	Elf Ulan, Elf Crash will be communicating what Flight Command needs from trackers
Elf notjack	So do you like your new job?
Roger Star	Jeffersonelf18 – you need to talk to the elves at SantaTrackers.net – many of those elves are here now, they can tell you
Jeffersonelf18	I’ll be back on Christmas eve
Elf Ulan	Thank you, Elf Roger!
Roger Star	I do like my new job. Everything about it is new, so I’m nervous
Jeffersonelf18	Bye
Elf Buddy Christmas	Congrats on the new job Roger!
Elf Frank Myrrh	Roger, is there anything about the new job that has surprised you?
Frosty McSnowflake	Elf Roger, you were selected foe a reason. Just be yourself, you’ll be grand!
Elf Ulan	(Elf Roger, thank you always for everything!)
Roger Star	Yes. I had no idea just how massive Santa’s operation is. I’ve worked for Santa most of my life and I just had no idea
Roger Star	Thank you, Frosty McSnowflake. I appreciate the encouragement!
Elf Pluen Eira	I know that realistically the odds are very low, but how would an elf make their journey to get a job like yours?
Roger Star	Thank you Elf Ulan.
Shine	yeah
Roger Star	Elf Pluen Eira, it can be a long road. But we all start kind of where you are these days.
Roger Star	I know Frank came from the United States, as did Elf Crash
Elf Frank Myrrh	Yes, I did
Elf Jelly Belly	Did you go the university at the North Pole?
Jeffersonelf18	Guys when does Santa come on?
Roger Star	I got all my flight training generals at Southern North Pole University, yes.
Elf Jelly Belly	This chat is for Roger today, not santa @jefferson
Shine	chrimas eve
Elf Jelly Belly	cool!
Frosty McSnowflake	How closely do you work with Santa? And do you help coordinate the route before launch, or is it a “fly by the seat of pants ” kind of thing? (Excuse the pun!)
Roger Star	Flight Training takes constant learning. I’m STILL in school
Elf Ulan	Elf Roger, do the test flight test only at night? Where do they rest or go to sleep? (at daytime?)
Roger Star	Frosty, I didn’t talk to Santa as much as I liked when he was on walkabout. That was kind of a bummer. But these days we connect every day.
Roger Star	Elf Ulan, the test flights go around the clock. We need data for both day and night flights.
Roger Star	There are 12 test sleighs
Elf Jelly Belly	How does one go to S. Pole University if they also want to work with flight command? OR how did u get ur previous job, to now?
Roger Star	They rotate based on what we’re looking to test and who is available and when. There are rules we have to follow
Roger Star	But I should tell you – the test flights are just about done. They are running out of things to test. I’m toying with cutting them off altogether.
Elf notjack	will all of those sleighs be used?
Roger Star	The university at the North Pole is kind of like every other university out there. You have to talk to a counselor. I originally just wanted to be a test pilot. Of course, that was years ago
Shine	will they
Frosty McSnowflake	Does Santa’s use one sleigh, or does he transfer from one to another?
Shine	yeah
Roger Star	Elf notjack – all of those sleighs HAVE been used. Every single one of them. We’ve used almost 5000 reindeer and 200 pilots in testing the sleigh this year
Roger Star	Santa uses one sleigh.
Roger Star	But there is a big project we have called Operation Airlift, those are sleighs that constantly load Santa’s sleigh with stuff. He works out of the front, they load from the back.
Elf Ulan	Elf Roger, thank you! Wow, day and night! Where do they rest rotated?
Roger Star	We test the sleigh for much of the year to make sure everything works for Santa just the way he wants and the way we need for it to work as we constantly re-supply it.
Frosty McSnowflake	This is great insight!
Roger Star	Elf Ulan – we have what we call mobile base camps for the test pilots. When we know we will be flying in a part of the world we’ll use temp locations or even the local tracking center or sometimes even the ships of the North Pole Navy to coordinate flights
Roger Star	These base camps are where both reindeer and pilots are supported. They all have living quarters for their off time
Roger Star	We also hold meetings in these base camps to coordinate things.
Roger Star	I joke that it’s all like a traveling circus.
Roger Star	Next week the whole test flight thing moves to Sector 1
Roger Star	Elves have been working for weeks as we shift operations to that part of the world.
Elf Frank Myrrh	Wow, this is really interesting information.
Sallywobbles	Hi
Roger Star	Yes, Frank. I have worked as a test pilot before so I know how some of this worked. But being where I am now I’m learning so much more about how it comes together.
Roger Star	It’s quite a complex thing
Elf Frank Myrrh	What about the rest of the world. How does Flight Command work with countries and stuff?
Roger Star	That’s a good example of the new stuff I’m learning.
Roger Star	Within North Pole Flight Command, we have a State Department. They interface with governments around the world. Santa doesn’t want to go into areas that’s don’t want him.
Elf Frank Myrrh	Are there countries that don’t want Santa?
Elf Jelly Belly	I havent heard much about the state department before
Elf notjack	And would you need lawyers for that?
Roger Star	Not really, but governments can sometimes come up with new rules or stuff, so we always have to stay in contact with them
Roger Star	Lawyers? Yeah, a few, I guess. We don’t have enough lawyers, to be honest
Elf Ulan	Elf Roger, thank you! You have many places for it! And yes, they will come to Sector 1! Exciting! The weather here changed to very cold and windy this weekend. Temperature has been in and down recently, but it’s cold today.
Sallywobbles	Has the been a time when the test sleigh crashed before?
Roger Star	Yes, we don’t talk much about the State Department but they are pretty important.
Elf Jelly Belly	I know its not ur speciality, but how does the state department cordinate with flight command
Roger Star	We are in interesting times. I’m learning a lot about what the North Pole has to do just to get Santa around the world. His flight plan depends on governments allowing him to come in.
Elf Pluen Eira	Are there any ways I can work with flight command remotely? I’m really interested in helping with the logistics of Santa’s flight, I want to do more than just send in weather reports and stuff. Is that possible?
Elf Jelly Belly	oh ok
Roger Star	We need lawyers who are up on the laws of every country. Sometimes we have to ask for exceptions to certain rules. The lawyers get sent in to explain why. That is why we sometimes have to find lawyers who are not only lawyers but also sleigh pilots. It’s all very technical work.
Roger Star	Crashing of test flights? Yes, that’s happened. It happened last year, right?
Elf Jelly Belly	Wow! That sounds like an exciting job!
Elf Frank Myrrh	Yes, it was more of an emergency water landing if I recall
Elf notjack	How long does it take to become a sleigh pilot?
Sallywobbles	Is there timeframe when the testing has to be done by?
Roger Star	The State Department has elves working 24 hours a day. Sometimes, especially on Christmas Eve, we have flight controllers contacting airports and military bases to remind them Santa is coming
Elf Jelly Belly	Woah!
Roger Star	Elf Pluen Eira – yes, we depend on remote elves. To be of best service, we would need you to become a flight expert in your part of the world.
Sallywobbles	Cool
Elf Pluen Eira	Cool!
Roger Star	But the short answer to your question is yes, we have needs for flight planners all over the world who work remotely.
Elf Ulan	Elf Roger, if Santa changes his way from the plan on Christmas Eve, will you contact the government?
Elf Pluen Eira	How can I work on pursuing that?
Roger Star	Sleigh Pilot licensing can take a while. It took me about 12 years.
Elf notjack	HUH
Roger Star	testing Santa’s sleigh usually goes right up until flight time for Santa. I don’t think it will this year however. We have high hopes for this year’s sleigh. It has performed REALLY well
Elf Buddy Christmas	Do you think Santa will break another record in this sleigh?
Roger Star	Yes, Elf Ulan. We frequently have to change plans like that on Christmas Eve. A lot of factors. Weather, people not going to bed, etc. So on Christmas Eve Flight Command is in constant contact with people in every country. We try real hard to keep them informed
Elf Ulan	Yeah, I’m so happy to hear the test flight goes so well this year!
Roger Star	As far as records go, the BIG record Santa wants to break isn’t about speed, it’s time
Roger Star	He wants to finish in under 30 hours. He’s never done that before.
Elf Frank Myrrh	Roger – this chat has gone by so fast
Elf Buddy Christmas	Hopefully he can break it this year!
Elf Frank Myrrh	Our time is about spent. What last questions do you all have for Roger?
Frosty McSnowflake	I have to go now. I just want to wish Elf Roger and his team luck , and to say I will do all I can to help make operation Merry Christmas a success!
Elf Jelly Belly	Good luck!
Roger Star	I think Santa has an excellent chance of breaking the record in this sleigh, yes. But there are many factors beyond the sleigh alone.
Elf Radar	Thanks guys! This was a very fascinating chat.
Elf Buddy Christmas	Good luck on the new job Roger wish you all the success
Sallywobbles	Bye
Elf Frank Myrrh	Thank you everyone for being here. Join us again tomorrow for our TWO chats set up.
Elf Frank Myrrh	Roger, thanks- that was AWESOME
Roger Star	Thank you everyone! Bye!
Elf Ulan	Elf Roger, Thank you so much! I hope Santa will break the time it’s year saddle! XD
Elf notjack	Thank you!
Elf Jelly Belly	Bye!
Elf notjack	bye everyone love youuu
Elf Ernest	Frank, thanks! AWESOME chat by Roger today!
Elf Frank Myrrh	We need to get him back
Elf Buddy Christmas	bye everyone
Elf Frank Myrrh	Thank you all!
Elf Ulan	Thank you, Elf Frank and Elf Ernest! And everyone! XD

Elf Ulan says:

November 24, 2023 at 4:23 pm

Thank you, Elf Winslow. Thank you, Elf Roger; it was very interesting and great. It made me more excited about Operation Merry Christmas! I’m so happy that I can gradually imagine clearly the test flights and how the Flight Command for Santa gets around the world. I’ll do my best too remotely. Thank you, Elf Ernest, Elf Frank, and everyone there! I am sorry about my saying. I wanted to say, “I hope Santa will break the time (record) THIS year SAFELY!” I wish my fingers always worked well. XD