South Africa’s aviation safety authority is reviewing a very low flyover by two passenger planes before a rugby match in Cape Town on Saturday 29 August. The Airlink planes flew over DHL Stadium before South Africa played New Zealand, with around 58,000 people watching. The planes were part of a special display for the Rugby Championship. Photos and videos of the flyover quickly spread online, with some people asking whether the planes had flown too close to the stadium.
The first plane was estimated to have been about 12.5 to 14 metres above the stadium’s highest structure at one point. That is about the height of a four-storey building. The South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) is now checking the flight to make sure all the safety rules were followed. SACAA said Airlink had completed safety preparations before the flyover, including practising the flight in a simulator. The authority has also asked Airlink for flight information to help with its review.
Airlink said safety was its first priority and rejected claims that the flyover was reckless. The airline said the planes were flown by crews that included three experienced captains. Airlink also said it was happy to provide its own flight information, which it believes is more accurate than information from public flight-tracking apps. This could help officials work out exactly how the planes flew over the stadium.
Another flyover had been planned for the next rugby Test in Johannesburg on 5 September. However, Airlink cancelled it because the weather forecast showed conditions might not be safe for the planes to fly together. The Cape Town flyover was the second of three planned displays connected to the Rugby Championship. The first took place before South Africa played New Zealand in Johannesburg on 22 August. The safety review will help officials understand what happened and make sure future displays are safe for people in the air and on the ground.
SMART Prep | Quick Question 
