401 Tactical Fighter Squadron members pose
in front of a Royal Canadian Air Force CF-188 Hornet aircraft, for North America Aerospace Defense Control (NORAD) Santa, outside Hangar 4, 4 Wing Cold Lake, Alberta on December 8, 2017. From left: 401 Tactical Fighter Squadron Commanding Officer, Lieutenant-Colonel Forrest Rock, Captain Kevin Mittelholtz, Corporal Kevin Richmond, Aviator Gillian Lavoie
(Photo: Cpl Justin Roy, 4 Wing Imaging)
Once again, NORAD will be tracking Santa as he makes his way across North America to visit all the good girls and boys.
The Canadian NORAD Region has announced the escort pilots, maintainers and tracking crews.
Captain Pierre-David Boivin and Captain Pierre-Claude Quirion were selected from 3 Wing Bagotville, Que., as Santa’s escort pilots. Sergeant Marc-André David is the maintainer supporting the CF-18 Hornet pilots. This year’s team from 3 Wing belongs to 433 Tactical Fighter Squadron.
Santa’s escort pilots from 4 Wing Cold Lake, Alta., are Lieutenant-Colonel Forrest Rock and Captain Kevin Mittleholtz. The CF-18 Hornet maintainers supporting them are Corporal Kevin Richmon and Aviator Gillian Lavoie. All four are part of 401 Tactical Fighter Squadron.
Santa Trackers from 21 Aerospace Control and Warning Squadron’s Charlie Flight, 22 Wing at CFB North Bay, Ontario include Major Kathleen Leaton, Staff Sergeant Patrick Bisigni (United States Air Force) and Master Corporal-Gabriel Chartier. Their duty is to maintain radio contact with Santa and his escort pilots.
Major-General Christian Drouin the Commander of the Canadian NORAD Region says every year they take on the very special responsibility and employ the same technology and systems they use to defend the two countries to track the jolly old elf on his journey.
The NORAD Tracks Santa website www.noradsanta.org is now live.
Starting at 2:01 a.m. EST on Dec. 24, website visitors can watch Santa make preparations for his flight. NORAD’s “Santa Cams” will stream videos on the website as Santa makes his way over various locations. Then, at 6 a.m. EST, trackers worldwide can speak with a live phone operator to inquire as to Santa’s whereabouts by dialing the toll-free number 1-877-Hi-NORAD (1-877-446-6723) or by sending an e-mail to noradtrackssanta@outlook.com.
