Canadian NORAD Region Names Escort Pilots and Crews

WINNIPEG, MANITOBA--(Marketwired - Dec. 8, 2014) - Royal Canadian Air Force

The Canadian North American Aerospace Defence Command Region (CANR) Santa trackers and escort pilots and their crews have been selected for the high profile job.

Quick Facts

• Santa escort pilots from 3 Wing, Canadian Forces Base Bagotville, Que. are Captain Denis "Cheech" Beaulieu," and Captain Steven "Bunt" Nierlich. CF-18 Hornet Crew Chiefs supporting the Bagotville escort pilots are Corporal Daniel Boucher, and Corporal Marc-Andre David.
  
  
• Santa escort pilots from 4 Wing, Canadian Forces Base Cold Lake, Alta. are Major Yanick "Crank" Gregoire, and Captain Thomas "Toast" McQueen. Crew Chiefs supporting the Cold Lake escort pilots are Corporal Sébastien Morin and Corporal Andrew Shields.
  
  
• Santa Trackers from 21 Aerospace Control and Warning Squadron based at 22 Wing Canadian Forces Base North Bay, Ont., will also be keeping a watchful eye on Santa's sleigh.
  
  
• Santa trackers and escort pilots will be available for interviews until December 23, 2014.
  
  
• Official NORAD Tracks Santa apps are also available in the Windows, Apple and Google Play stores, so parents and children can countdown the days until Santa's launch on their smart phones and tablets! Tracking opportunities are also offered on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Google+. Santa followers just need to type "@noradsanta" into each search engine to get started.
  
  
• Also new this year, the website features Santa's elves in the North Pole Village. NORAD Tracks Santa is introducing the newest elf and asking the public to help choose the perfect name for him. Details can be found via NORAD Tracks Santa social media or in the "Name the Elf" video in Santa's North Pole Movie Theater at www.noradsanta.org.
  
  
• All Santa-related information is available in English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin, Portuguese, and Spanish.
  
  
• Starting at 12:01 a.m. MST 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 4 a.m. MST (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 email to noradtrackssanta@outlook.com. Any time on Dec. 24, Windows Phone users can ask Cortana for Santa's location, and OnStar subscribers can press the OnStar button in their vehicles to find Santa.
  
  

Quote

"Every day, every hour, the men and women of the Canadian NORAD Region (CANR) keep watchful eyes over North American airspace. This capability also enables us to escort Santa safely into Canada on December the 24th. Ensuring that Santa's worldwide journey of goodwill and cheer arrives safely and on time is a particularly gratifying mission for the dedicated men and women of CANR."

Related Products

NORAD is ready to track Santa's flight

Photos of escort pilots and crews

Associated Links

NORAD Tracks Santa

Canadian NORAD Region

NORAD