(Commercial pilots have complained for years that some simulated emergencies programmed by the Federal Aviation Administration just aren't real)

Santa Claus, like any commercial pilot, can suddenly receive a visit from the Federal Aviation Administration. (FAA)

Santa Claus receives a visit shortly before Christmas Eve from a horde of bureaucrats from the FAA. They swarm all over and look at everything. Santa's paperwork is checked. Then they inspect each and evry part of Santa's flight equipment. The sled is checked. Each reindeer is carefully looked at by a vet. The control harness that Santa uses to guide the reindeer is checked.

Finally, the FAA head inspector tells Santa that he can take off on Christmas Eve - but an FAA inspector will also be travelling along to study how well Santa flies the sled.

Santa, having been at this for a long time, shrugs and says: " Sure, OK"

On Christmas Eve, the sled is hitched up with all the usual reindeer (Donner and Blitzen,etc)

As Santa settles himself in the sled, the FAA inspector gets in. Santa is shocked to see the FAA inspector carrying a shotgun.

Santa asks the inspector what the heck he thinks he's doing by carrying a shotgun on a Christmas Eve Santa Claus run.

The inspector leans over and says: " "I'm not supposed to tell you this but we have one more quick test for you. You're going to have an engine failure on takeoff".