Elf Quinton Talks Stuff of Santa’s Sleigh
Elf Quinton, Director of Research and Development at the North Pole, held his first North Pole Chat recently and he was very instructive. Here is his very interesting conversation with Elves Frank and Crash:
| Elf Ernest | Which one of you is going to lead today with Elf Quinton? |
| Crash Murphy | I will. It was my idea to finally talk him into coming to chat. Quinton was a tough nut to crack. |
| Elf Ernest | I was going to ask how this happened. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him on the chat schedule before. |
| Crash Murphy | Today will be his first time. |
| Elf Ernest | That’s awesome. I’m not sure many understand what an important elf that he is. |
| Elf Frank Myrrh | His work is certainly under appreciated. |
| Crash Murphy | My feelings exactly. |
| Elf Frank Myrrh | Crash, I might have a question or two for Elf Quinton, too. |
| Crash Murphy | I figured that was why you were here, Frank. I think that’s great. |
| Elf Ernest | I’ll just stay here in the shadows then and let you two lead off. |
| Elf Ulan1 | Elf Ulan: hello! I can’t save my name |
| Crash Murphy | Ok. Feel free to pipe in with any questions you might have Elf Ernest. |
| Crash Murphy | Hello Elf Ulan! |
| Crash Murphy | That customize button worked for me Elf Ulan. |
| Crash Murphy | Ah, there’s the man of the hour right now. Welcome Elf Quinton! |
| Elf Ulan1 | Elf Ulan: hi Elf Crash again today here! |
| Elf Quinton Quigley | Hello! Happy Sunday. I’m here. |
| ELF CANDY CANE | Hi Elf Quinton! |
| Crash Murphy | Hello Quinton. We’ll be starting in just a few minutes. |
| Elf Ulan1 | Elf Ulan: it said: This name is already occupied |
| Elf Quinton Quigley | Hi Elf Candy Cane. |
| ELF CANDY CANE | HOW ARE YOU TODAY? |
| Crash Murphy | Oh how strange. There’s only one Elf Ulan. |
| Elf Quinton Quigley | I’m excellent. Quite excited to be here. |
| Elf Ulan1 | Elf Ulan: hi Elf Quinton! |
| Crash Murphy | Folks today we will be chatting with Elf Quinton Q. Quigley, head of Research and Development at the North Pole. |
| Elf Quinton Quigley | Hello, Elf Ulan. I’ve heard quite a bit about you. |
| Elf Ulan1 | Elf Ulan: Elf Crash, can’t I fix it? |
| Crash Murphy | Elf Quinton is not an elf who gets enough thanks for the work that he does. Quinton, can you explain what it is that you do? |
| Crash Murphy | I think you might need to clear your browser cache maybe? I don’t know. |
| Elf Quinton Quigley | Crash, I work in a department of many elves who make the things that give Santa an edge. We are most known for the work we do on Santa’s sleigh each year. |
| Crash Murphy | I understand you are involved in the sleigh project all the time. How is what you do different than what the Sleigh Department does? |
| Elf Quinton Quigley | The sleigh department is operations. We’re designers. Our job with the sleigh is to put new technology in it to help Santa do more, get around faster, be safer – all that stuff. |
| Crash Murphy | So the sleigh that is in test flights right now, does that have much to do with you? |
| Elf Quinton Quigley | Yes. The Sleigh Department sets the schedule, gets the pilots and the reindeer lined up, talks to different tracking stations around the world. |
| Elf Quinton Quigley | But we are along for the ride, taking in the results of the data we gather. We also set up tests. We’re looking for a performance edge for Santa. It’s a game of inches. |
| Crash Murphy | How does this year’s sleigh compare to last year? |
| Elf Quinton Quigley | I’m glad you asked. The news department and others keep saying they are very similar. But I would tell you that under the hood this year’s sleigh has some unique features that most don’t know about. |
| Elf Frank Myrrh | Oh really? Are you saying this year’s sleigh is better or worse than last year? |
| Elf Quinton Quigley | No. I just can tell you that a lot of great elves have put in a lot of work to build on the improvements of last year’s record setting sleigh. |
| Crash Murphy | So how will this year’s sleigh be “better”? |
| Elf Quinton Quigley | Well, the flight tests will reveal if it is better. But the ultimate proof will be when Santa gets in it. |
| Crash Murphy | Do you think it’s possible for Santa’s sleigh this year to do better than last years? |
| Elf Quinton Quigley | That’s always possible, Crash. But you have to remember that “better” isn’t just about the time it takes for Santa to go around the world. HOW he does his job is part of what we have to think about. |
| Crash Murphy | How does this work exactly? I mean, Santa got home on Christmas Day last year, setting a new record. What’s the process you guys in your department go through once something like that happens? |
| Elf Quinton Quigley | It actually starts while Santa is in flight. Just like you and your team, Crash, we track Santa in real time. That’s when the work of next year’s sleigh begins. |
| Elf Frank Myrrh | Fascinating. How do you guys in Research and Development track Santa? |
| Elf Quinton Quigley | It’s not too different than what Crash’s team does. But we just do it at flight command, where we have the telemetry available for us to watch. |
| Crash Murphy | Telemetry? |
| Elf Quinton Quigley | Yes, we have hundreds of different sensors and data streams that we watch while Santa is in flight. Flight Command uses web cams, we use flight data. |
| Elf Frank Myrrh | Numbers and stuff like that? |
| Elf Quinton Quigley | Yes, exactly. |
| Crash Murphy | No offense, Quinton, but that sounds kind of boring. |
| Elf Quinton Quigley | It would be boring for many people. But when you work on a sleigh year round that data becomes really necessary. We get excited about it but we don’t expect anyone to understand |
| Elf Frank Myrrh | Well, try me. What is one number you follow? |
| Elf Quinton Quigley | Resistence. That’s metered, Frank. We want to know what we can do to cut that down. Fighting resistence means that Santa has a smoother, faster ride. Ultimately a safer one too. |
| Crash Murphy | So there’s a number for that? |
| Elf Quinton Quigley | Yes, there is. Many don’t know it, but we’ve improved than more than 53% in recent years. That’s breakthrough level stuff. |
| Crash Murphy | Does Santa contribute to this in any way? |
| Elf Quinton Quigley | Oh of course Santa understands it. He is a very experienced pilot and a talented sleigh designer, too. Santa is critical to our work |
| Elf Frank Myrrh | So does Santa meet with you guys? |
| Elf Quinton Quigley | Yes, he does. All the time. And we all struggle to keep up with Santa. He knows his stuff. |
| Crash Murphy | Wow. |
| Elf Quinton Quigley | Yes, I would call Santa our team lead. He really drives what we do and we couldn’t get past barriers without him. |
| Crash Murphy | But I thought Santa was never a part of the test flights? |
| Elf Quinton Quigley | He’s not. But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t review the data. |
| Elf Quinton Quigley | Did you know that Santa has a little device that kind of looks like a cell phone? But it’s not a cell phone. It’s a computer of sorts that feeds him critical flight data from the test flights. He checks it constantly. |
| Crash Murphy | Really. I thought he was playing Solitaire on that thing. |
| Elf Quinton Quigley | Hahaha. He’s sneaky that way. Santa’s always got stuff going on. |
| Crash Murphy | Amazing. I need to give our guests here a chance to ask questions. Do any of you have any questions for Elf Quinton? |
| Elf Frank Myrrh | Are there things besides the sleigh that you do for Santa? |
| Elf Quinton Quigley | Yes, we have a number of projects. Communication is one ongoing thing we always try to improve. |
| Elf Frank Myrrh | You mean like radios? |
| Elf Quinton Quigley | Yes, exactly. |
| Elf Frank Myrrh | How do you improve on radios? |
| Elf Quinton Quigley | We’re testing a system right now for radio that doesn’t use microphones. |
| Crash Murphy | Wait. Wut? |
| Elf Ulan1 | Hi, Elf Quinton! What are the unique features? Flippers on the sleigh? |
| Elf Frank Myrrh | I’m a radio guy. How do you do a radio without a microphone? |
| Elf Quinton Quigley | Flippers on the sleigh is an idea that was ahead of it’s time. We turn to nature a lot in our design tests. |
| Elf chocolate snowflakes1 | How long does it take to get the sleigh up in the air for a test flight |
| Elf Quinton Quigley | A radio without a microphone is possible. We asked that question exactly when we started that project, Frank. Microphones are bulky and have wires and such that get in the way for a guy like Santa. We wanted to know if we could invent radio communications that didn’t require a microphone. |
| Elf Quinton Quigley | Getting the sleigh up in the air takes just seconds now. But when we first start with a new design it can take quite a while because we don’t know how it is going to perform. So we go slow to keep things safe. |
| Elf Frank Myrrh | So you actually have a radio that works without a microphone? |
| Elf Quinton Quigley | Yes, Frank. We did it. But it’s not perfect. It is still a work in progress. |
| Elf chocolate snowflakes1 | 🙂 |
| Elf Frank Myrrh | Well….not to be rude, but what’s wrong with it? |
| Elf Quinton Quigley | It picks up too much noise. We’re working on it Filtering out background noise can be done through software. |
| Elf Ulan1 | Thank you, Elf Quinton. I’m curious about Santa’s sleigh design for speeding and safely |
| Elf Frank Myrrh | Background noise. Isn’t that an old problem? |
| Elf Quinton Quigley | Safety is our first priority for Santa’s sleigh. We’re proud to have designs that do not require belts or helmets, yet still keep Santa safe. |
| Elf Quinton Quigley | Yes, background noise is an old problem. But we’ve made it new because our new microphone-less radios deal with a lot of ambient biological static. |
| Elf Frank Myrrh | Ambient biological static, What’s that mean? |
| Crash Murphy | Farts, Frank. I think he means burps and farts. |
| ELF CANDY CANE | WHAT ON THE SLEIGH LIKE DASHBOARD if you not allowed to say i understand |
| Elf Quinton Quigley | Hahaha, yes Crash. Stuff like that. |
| Elf Frank Myrrh | So the microphone works inside the body? |
| Elf Quinton Quigley | Yes, in a way, Frank. It’s technical. Unfortunately, the details are largely classified, too. I can’t get into it too deeply. |
| Elf Quinton Quigley | The sleigh dash board has changed a lot the past several years. Most of it works by voice command now. Just a single screen, no buttons. |
| Elf Ulan1 | Elf Quinton, doesn’t a belt need on the sleigh? |
| Crash Murphy | Wow, I’m really learning a lot here. |
| Elf chocolate snowflakes1 | Same |
| Elf Frank Myrrh | Crash, you’re up there too. Your sleigh doesn’t have this technology? |
| Crash Murphy | No way. I don’t even have a padded dash, Frank. |
| Elf Quinton Quigley | Crash is right. There is only one sleigh in the world that has this stuff and that’s Santa’s sleigh. |
| Crash Murphy | My sleigh doesn’t even have the technology Santa had fifty years ago. |
| Elf Quinton Quigley | That is true, Crash. We’ve never been asked to work on a sleigh for eye in the sky reporters. |
| Crash Murphy | I think it is high time you give me some love, Quinton. I could use better heating and air |
| Elf Ulan1 | Elf Crash don’t you have a belt on your sleigh, too? |
| Elf Frank Myrrh | Hahaha. Good point, Crash. |
| Crash Murphy | Yes, I have a belt because I’m a scaredity cat. |
| Elf Quinton Quigley | Crash, I’ll ask to see if there is budget to put a few improvements on your sleigh. |
| Crash Murphy | I’m just kidding ya, Quinton. You stay focused on Santa. |
| Crash Murphy | Any last questions for Elf Quinton? |
| Elf Ulan1 | Elf Crash, I feel relieved to hear that |
| Elf Ulan1 | Elf Quinton, what did you hear about me? |
| Elf Quinton Quigley | Belts are great. But we don’t put one in for Santa because he doesn’t want one. It slows him down. |
| Crash Murphy | Yes, I’ve seen that. But how do you keep Santa IN the sleigh? |
| Elf Ulan1 | Yeah, I want to know it too |
| Elf Quinton Quigley | We use giant air jets. As Santa gets in and picks up speed the air jets forcibly keep him in his seat. Like a belt, just not in his way when he wants to get out. |
| Elf chocolate snowflakes1 | Has as sleigh been pulled over by the cops |
| Elf Quinton Quigley | Elf Ulan, you are well known in the Elf Community at the North Pole. People really appreciate you. |
| Elf Quinton Quigley | Yes, Santa has been pulled over many times. |
| Elf Frank Myrrh | We have reported on North Pole Radio News when Santa has been pulled over. |
| Crash Murphy | Santa always gets pulled over in Juneau, Alaska. |
| Elf Quinton Quigley | Yeah, why does that happen to Santa in Juneau? |
| Elf chocolate snowflakes1 | Yikes |
| Crash Murphy | Their land-locked in Juneau. Their roads go no where. The cops there have nothing better to do. |
| Elf Ulan1 | Elf Quinton, the air jets sound cool! |
| Elf Quinton Quigley | Hahaha. That’s hilarious. I wonder why Santa does not just out run them? |
| Elf Ernest | Because Santa is a law abiding citizen of everywhere, that’s why. |
| Crash Murphy | Quinton, thank you very much for being here today. I think we need to get you back in for another chat soon. I learned a lot from you today that I did not know. |
| Elf Frank Myrrh | I agree. GREAT CHAT!!! |
| Elf Ulan1 | And thank you for telling. My work is a s |
| Elf Quinton Quigley | Thank you, that’s very kind of you |
| Elf Ulan1 | Small |
| Elf Ulan1 | Thank you, Elf Quinton! |
| Crash Murphy | Thanks for being here, Quinton. And you too, Frank! |
| Elf Quinton Quigley | Bye everyone! |
| Elf Frank Myrrh | Bye Quinton. Thank you again. |
| Elf chocolate snowflakes1 | Bye! |
| ELF CANDY CANE | BYE |
| ELF CANDY CANE | HAVE A NICE DAY |
| Elf Ulan1 | Thank you, El Ernest, Elf Crash, Elf Frank! |
| Crash Murphy | Wow, what a great chat! |
| Elf Ernest | Good job everyone! |
| Elf Frank Myrrh | Bye everyone! |
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Really interesting stuff! I love hearing about all the cool technology you guys use for Operation Merry Christmas. Thank you all for doing this chat!
Thank you for sharing the recap, Elf Winslow, and thank you, Elf Quinton, for making Santa’s sleigh and for telling us I didn’t know all! I thought Santa’s goggles had a radio. I hope Elf Crash could use Santa’s sleigh last year. Thanks to Elves Ernest, Frank, and Crash, we learned a lot of essential things from Elf Quinton! I’m touched by a lot of elves involved in Santa! Everyone is necessary to Santa so that he can fly around the world on Christmas Eve. So thank you so much!
I look forward to chatting with them again!
Elf Moe and Elf Winslow, I Like The New Updated Website and How Do Use The North Pole Chat Room? It Looks A Little Different, Can You Show Me How To Use It. Thanks For Your Help.🎅🏼😉🎄❄⛄🎶🤶