Exclusive for Podcrashers:
What does holiday magic mean to you? Many corners of the planet are touched by special events, traditions, and acts of kindness-- and the aviation industry is certainly part of the fun. In this month's Patreon-exclusive layover episode of Take to the Sky: the Air Disaster Podcast, Stephanie shares three examples of aviation holiday magic through the lens of a Christmas Day disaster, the longest running humanitarian airlift in the world, and the answer to one of the trickiest holiday questions ever asked.Sources consulted for this story:
- Gizmodo: Can Santa Claus exist according to the laws of physics?
- Popular Mechanics: The Air Force Redesigned Santa’s Sleigh for Hypersonic Speed
- Flying Magazine: Is Santa’s Sleigh Airworthy?
- Andersen AFB: Operation Christmas Drop
- US Department of Defense: 71 Years of 'Love From Above'
- DUIDS: International observers in multinational harmony at Operation Christmas Drop 2023
- 7th Air Force: Merry Christmas Drop from Woleai
- The Guam Daily Post: Operation Christmas Drop sends holiday love from above
- Flying Magazine: ‘Operation Christmas Drop’ Delivers Gifts, Goodwill in Guam
- NTSB: Accident Report
- CBS: 50 Years Later: Long-Shot Letter Reconnects Plane Crash Survivors With Officer Who Saved Them
Credits:
Written and produced by: Shelly Price and Stephanie HubkaDirected and engineered at: Snow Monster Studios
Sound editor: Podcast Engineers
Producer: Adam Hubka
Music by: Mike Dunn
CSU Long Beach calculations explaining how Santa's sleigh can fly. Source: csulb.edu
The Voshell family with Officer Scott Patton. Source: CBS Pittsburgh
Volunteers pack boxes for the 2023 Operation Christmas Drop. Source: pacom.mil
