An impressive air show carried out by two Airlink planes over Cape Town’s DHL Stadium has sparked the interest of the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) due to video footage showing the planes flying dangerously low over the stadium’s roof on August 29, 2026, before the match between the Springboks and the All Blacks.
Thousands of rugby fans were delighted but raised the alarm for aviation safety. The SACAA is currently reviewing the planes’ flight data recorder logs.
How Close Were the Airlink Jets to DHL Stadium?
Two Airlink Embraer passenger jets were flying in formation over the stadium before kick-off. According to Flightradar24, based on the analysis of the flight-tracking data, the lowest ADS-B altitude was approximately 50 feet, while estimates suggest the clearance between the lead aircraft and the stadium roof was 12.5 to 14 meters.
To those in and around the stadium, the aircraft seemed very close to the roof, causing videos capturing the flypast to go viral online.
The flight occurred in the presence of an audience of about 56,000 people who came to watch a rugby match, increasing worries about possible implications in case something went wrong.
Why Is SACAA Investigating the Flypast?
According to SACAA, the regulatory body started the compliance verification in connection with media attention paid to the flight.
It has already got flight data recorders from the aircraft and asked Airlink for more information. The investigation is dedicated to checking whether the crew followed the exact parameters of the approved flight and whether there were any safety issues to deal with.
Importantly, the investigation does not prove in itself that the pilots breached any aviation laws.
What does Airlink have to say about this?
Airlink has supported this maneuver by explaining that the flypast entailed a significant amount of preparation and rehearsal, and was carried out according to SACAA and Air Traffic Navigation Services’ instructions and consent.
The company reported that planes flew at about 150 knots and were piloted by three captains, who were acting as commander, co-pilot, and technical or safety officers. Airlink additionally handed the flight record of the aircraft to SACAA for verification.
The company claims that the aircraft remained inside the allowed range of altitude and speed.
Why has Airlink cancelled another flypast?
Airlink applied for three formation flypasts for rugby matches. The first one took place in Johannesburg on 22nd August, then came the one in Cape Town on 29th August.
The third formation flypast was planned to take place at FNB Stadium in Johannesburg. The application was withdrawn by Airlink due to unfavorable weather forecasts and during SACAA‘s investigation of the previous operation.
What Comes Next?
The SACAA investigation will establish whether the flypast over Cape Town was conducted in line with its own safety regulations and what actions need to be taken next.
In addition, this incident sparked discussions about the display of aircraft flying at a low altitude over large sporting events. Stadium flypasts have been a tradition in South African rugby for quite some time already; for instance, the Boeing 747 flypast at the 1995 Rugby World Cup final match.
In other words, what really matters here is whether the aircraft flew within the safety regulations set forth by the aviation authority.
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