Actually I heard the checkride was done early because Santa did not have the
appropriate paperwork to satisfy the new TSA requirements. If they don't
change the new rule Santa will be grounded in 2006!


"Shawn" wrote in message
...
Jim Vincent wrote:
Santa Claus, like all pilots, gets regular visits from the Federal
Aviation
Administration, and the FAA examiner arrived last week for the
pre-Christmas
flight check. In preparation, Santa had the elves wash the sled and bathe
all the reindeer.
Santa got his logbook out and made sure all his paperwork was in order.
He knew they would examine all his equipment and truly put Santa's flying
skills to the test. The examiner walked slowly around the sled. He
checked the reindeer harnesses,
the landing gear, and even Rudolph's nose. He painstakingly reviewed
Santa's
weight and balance calculations for sled's enormous payload. Finally,
they were ready for the check ride. Santa got in and fastened his seat
belt and shoulder harness and checked the compass. Then the examiner
hopped in
carrying, to Santa's surprise, a shotgun. "What's that for!?" asked Santa
incredulously. The examiner winked and said, "I'm not supposed to tell
you this ahead of
time," as he leaned over to whisper in Santa's ear, "but you're gonna
lose an
engine on takeoff."

Why an FAA guy? Does he have jurisdiction at the North Pole? And why
can't he get just logbook endorsement from an elf with his CFIS? Are we
supposed to believe that Santa's never had a check ride? Boy that opens a
big legal can of worms right there. Hope St Nick's paid his AOPA legal
defense fees.
;-)

Shawn

P.S. So what kind of waiver does Santa get to fly in the presidential
TFRs? Or are all the kiddies in Crawford SOL?