Pilot Santa

Santa Claus, like all
pilots, gets regular visits from the Federal Aviation Administration, and the FAA examiner
arrived last week for the pre-Christmas flight check. In preparation, Santa had the elves
wash the sled and bathe all the reindeer. Santa got his log book out and made sure all his
paperwork was in order. He knew they would examine all his equipment and truly put Santas
flying skills to the test. The examiner walked slowly around the sled. He checked the
reindeer harnesses, the landing gear, and even Rudolphs nose. He painstakingly reviewed
Santas weight and balance calculations for sleds enormous payload. Finally, they were ready
for the check ride. Santa got in and fastened his seat belt and shoulder harness and checked
the compass. Then the examiner hopped in carrying, to Santas surprise, a shotgun. "Whats
that for?!?" asked Santa incredulously. The examiner winked and said, "Im not supposed to
tell you this ahead of time," as he leaned over to whisper in Santas ear, "but youre gonna
lose an engine on takeoff."