South African aviation authorities are investigating a low-altitude flyover conducted by two Airlink passenger jets before a rugby match at Cape Town’s DHL Stadium. The South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) stated that they are reviewing flight data recordings and have requested additional information from Airlink for assessment. A detailed report with recommendations will be provided upon completion of the review.
Following the flyover at the Springboks-All Blacks rugby match on Aug. 29, which garnered cheers from a crowd of approximately 56,000 spectators, concerns arose regarding safety risks. Video footage captured by onlookers inside and around the stadium circulated online, sparking a debate on the issue.
Deandra Peters, a 25-year-old pilot and aviation enthusiast attending her first live rugby match, shared that the atmosphere within the stadium during the flyover was electric and captivating, creating a uniquely South African moment that was hard to replicate through videos.
Airlink responded by withdrawing plans for a flyover at the upcoming rugby match in Soweto. The airline assured that the initial flyover was meticulously planned and rehearsed, with safety being the top priority throughout the process. Each aircraft involved had three senior captains with a collective flight experience exceeding 75,000 hours.
The SACAA confirmed that Airlink had submitted applications for three flyovers, with the recent one in Cape Town being the second, following a previous flyover in Johannesburg on Aug. 22. Both flyovers had been approved in compliance with special air event regulations.
Airlink has canceled its application for a flyover scheduled on Sept. 5 over Johannesburg’s FNB Stadium citing unfavorable weather conditions for a safe formation flyby. The airline’s decision was supported by SACAA, which acknowledged the withdrawal of the application.
Stadium flybys at major rugby matches have been a longstanding tradition in South African rugby, dating back to the 1995 Rugby World Cup final. While last Saturday’s flyover attracted international attention for its low and dramatic nature, some aviation experts later raised concerns about the aircraft potentially operating with minimal room for error.