On December 25, Santa Claus began his Christmas flight around the world. The sleigh with gifts has the call sign R3DN053 (Merry Christmas) and the registration number HoHoHo, says WomanEL.
Sleigh with the call sign R3DN053. Source: NORAD
The flight is monitored online by Flightradar and the US Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD). Between cities, the sleigh flies at an altitude of 11.5 km at a speed of 1000 km/h.
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The tradition began in 1955, when a child mistakenly called the Continental Air Defense Command Operations Center and asked for Santa Claus. In order not to upset the baby, Colonel Harry Shoup, who was on duty that night, asked the staff to provide all children who called with Santa’s “current location.”
Santa Claus flies around the world. Source: Instagram
The media reported that the Center is monitoring the flight of Santa Claus and protecting him in every possible way. A number was added to the message so children could now find out Santa's whereabouts. Subsequently, the military man began to be called Colonel Santa, and the tradition has survived to this day.
The military tracks the fairytale path using infrared sensors that record the glow of the red nose of the reindeer Rudolph. It is he, according to legend, who prevents the team from going astray. Santa's exact location and real-time gift count can be found on NORAD's website.
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