South African aviation authorities are reviewing a recent low-altitude flyover involving two Airlink passenger jets before a rugby match at Cape Town’s DHL Stadium. The South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) has collected flight data recordings and requested additional information from Airlink for assessment. A comprehensive report with recommendations will follow upon completion of the review.
Airlink has decided to cancel plans for another flyover at the upcoming rugby match in Soweto. The SACAA, responsible for overseeing aviation safety and security, confirmed this change. The flyover before the Springboks-All Blacks rugby match on Aug. 29 received enthusiastic cheers from a crowd of around 56,000 attendees. However, concerns over safety arose following the circulation of video footage captured by spectators inside and around the stadium.
Deandra Peters, a 25-year-old pilot and aviation enthusiast attending her first live rugby game, described the electrifying atmosphere inside the stadium during the flyover. She emphasized that the experience of being among passionate Springbok supporters was incomparable to watching it on video, noting the vibrant energy and emotion present.
Airlink defended the flyover, stating it was meticulously planned and executed with safety as the top priority at all stages. The airline highlighted that each aircraft had three senior captains on board, boasting a combined flight experience exceeding 75,000 hours. Earlier this week, Airlink provided the flight data from the airplanes’ black boxes to the civil aviation authority for review.
“We never intended to draw attention or overshadow Rugby’s greatest rivalry,” said Airlink CEO de Villiers Engelbrecht, acknowledging both the excitement generated by the event and the subsequent questions and concerns raised.
The SACAA disclosed that Airlink had submitted applications for three flyovers, with the recent Cape Town event being the second, following one in Johannesburg on Aug. 22. Both flyovers were approved in accordance with regulations governing special air events. Airlink has retracted its application for a flyover scheduled on Sept. 5 over Johannesburg’s FNB Stadium due to unfavorable weather conditions. The airline’s decision was confirmed by the SACAA.
South African rugby has a history of stadium flyovers during major matches, a tradition dating back to the 1995 Rugby World Cup final in Johannesburg. Last Saturday’s flyover, while attracting international attention, was noted for its unusually low and dramatic nature, prompting some aviation experts to question the margin of error left by the aircraft.