Each time a new sleigh was ordered last year during the test flight process there was a standing order for 12 sleighs for each new version produced. 12 sleighs were needed to put the sleigh to the test in various locations under a variety of weather conditions.

But this time Santa has ordered 32 sleighs. Why so many?

So far, nobody seems to know why. The order came as a total surprise.

According to Elf Z in Flight Command it could be because testing a sleigh with such a massive change in design is normally a 3-year process. It could be they will utilize a strategy of a mass number of flights to accelerate the test schedule.

However, Elf Roger Star says the test flight schedule is still under design. They don’t know yet the order of testing that will be taking place. For the first several weeks of the schedule they fly mostly in the skies of the North Pole as test pilots learn just the basics of flying the new design. They usually do not need a lot of sleighs to do that.

The Reindeer Operations Department is also scrambling with this new sleigh order. If they are going to have 32 sleighs in the test flight fleet they are going to need a lot more reindeer.

For more information about the test flights of Santa’s new sleigh, please listen to the North Pole Radio News report in the player above.

As North Pole Flight Command reported the other day, the first prototypes of Santa’s new sleigh have been built and are on display. Crowds of elves anxious to see what Santa might be flying this year have already visited Flight Command to get a glimpse of it.

Test pilots are in training and are working flight simulators in advance of the first test flights scheduled for the first week of June.

Teams of test flight reindeer have been in camp at the North Pole training for those flights at the Kringle Reindeer Center.

There are more than 150 test flight reindeer but we are told the Reindeer Operations Department are gearing up for the arrival, care, training and feeding of several hundred more that are expected to be called into service.

“We are a little late in some respects for the test flight process,” said Elf Z, the associate director of Santa Trackers who works at Flight Command. “The target to start test flights has always been the first week of June but it took quite a bit longer than anticipated to get the design agreed upon, so they got started late in the build process. All we have is the prototype. The actual sleighs that they will be flying the first week of June aren’t actually built yet. So we are anticipating some schedule hiccups, at least for the first month or so.”

We have reached out to Elf Roger Star, director of Flight Command, to shed some light on the rumors of more reindeer being called in, but he hasn’t been available to comment.

We will keep you posted on the progress of Santa’s sleigh in development for this year. For more information, please listen to the North Pole Radio News report in the player above.

North Pole Flight Command Sector 1 (Oceania): Christmas Day – deliveries complete Sector 2 (Asia and the Middle East): Christmas Day – deliveries complete Sector 3 (Europe and Africa): Christmas Day — deliveries complete Sector 4 (Greenland and South America): Christmas Morning – deliveries complete Sector 5 (Central and North America): Christmas Morning – deliveries complete

North Pole Flight Command Sector 1 (Oceania): Christmas Day – deliveries complete Sector 2 (Asia and the Middle East): Christmas Day – deliveries complete Sector 3 (Europe and Africa): Christmas Day — deliveries complete Sector 4 (Greenland and South America): Christmas Morning – deliveries complete Sector 5 (Central and North America): Christmas Morning, very early

North Pole Flight Command Sector 1 (Oceania): Christmas Day – deliveries complete Sector 2 (Asia and the Middle East): Christmas Day – deliveries complete Sector 3 (Europe and Africa): Christmas Day — deliveries complete Sector 4 (Greenland and South America): Christmas Morning – deliveries complete Sector 5 (Central and North America): Christmas Morning, very early

North Pole Flight Command Sector 1 (Oceania): Christmas Day – deliveries complete Sector 2 (Asia and the Middle East): Christmas Day – deliveries complete Sector 3 (Europe and Africa): Christmas Day — deliveries complete Sector 4 (Greenland and South America): Christmas Morning – deliveries complete Sector 5 (Central and North America): Christmas Morning, very early

North Pole Flight Command Sector 1 (Oceania): Christmas Day – deliveries complete Sector 2 (Asia and the Middle East): Christmas Day – deliveries complete Sector 3 (Europe and Africa): Christmas Day — deliveries complete Sector 4 (Greenland and South America): Christmas Morning – deliveries complete Sector 5 (Central and North America): Christmas Morning, very early

North Pole Flight Command Sector 1 (Oceania): Christmas Day – deliveries complete Sector 2 (Asia and the Middle East): Christmas Day – deliveries complete Sector 3 (Europe and Africa): Christmas Day — deliveries complete Sector 4 (Greenland and South America): Christmas Morning – deliveries complete Sector 5 (Central and North America): Christmas Morning, very early

North Pole Flight Command Sector 1 (Oceania): Christmas Day – deliveries complete Sector 2 (Asia and the Middle East): Christmas Day – deliveries complete Sector 3 (Europe and Africa): Christmas Day — deliveries complete Sector 4 (Greenland and South America): Christmas Morning – deliveries complete Sector 5 (Central and North America): Christmas Morning, very early

North Pole Flight Command Sector 1 (Oceania): Christmas Day – deliveries complete Sector 2 (Asia and the Middle East): Christmas Day – deliveries complete Sector 3 (Europe and Africa): Christmas Day — deliveries complete Sector 4 (Greenland and South America): Christmas Morning – deliveries complete Sector 5 (Central and North America): Christmas Morning, very early