Airlink’s ultra-low stadium flyover under investigation

South Africa’s aviation regulator is analysing a double flyover before an international rugby match in Cape Town that sparked debate over aviation safety procedures and asked the operator of the flights for more information. 

SA Airlink has also withdrawn its application for another flyover that was planned for a game between the Springboks and the All Blacks this coming weekend, the Civil Aviation Authority said in a statement on Wednesday. 

Airlink, which operates about 70 Embraer SA passenger jets, defended the stunt, saying the manoeuvres on Saturday were conducted by a highly experienced crew of three senior captains in each aircraft and required “careful planning and rehearsal.”

“The forecast weather points to unfavourable conditions for a safe formation flyby,” Airlink said in a statement. “It is on this basis that we withdrew the application for a flyby this Saturday.”

The carrier, on its own initiative, volunteered to provide the black-box digital flight data recordings — or DFDRs — to the CAA to support its compliance review. 

The incident attracted both widespread criticism and admiration online. 

Flight-tracking website Flightradar24 showed one of the two jets passed less than 50 feet above the top of the DHL Stadium in Cape Town, where world champions South Africa were about to take on New Zealand in the second match in a series known as the Rugby Greatest Rivalry.

“Unlike public flight-tracking mobile apps that rely on rudimentary satellite-positioning information, the DFDRs on modern commercial jetliners are sophisticated devices able to trace over a thousand parameters and data points to present a precise and complex picture,” Airlink said. 

The carrier added that it is unrealistic to expect immediate feedback from the CAA and that it would support the regulator’s review.

“The necessary processes, including the practice flight in a simulator in preparation for the Saturday flight and a safety briefing, were conducted ahead of the operation as required by the regulations,” the CAA said.

It added that it had approved the manoeuvre in line with its requirements for special air events. 

The regulator will issue a report with recommendations once it has completed its assessment.