Airlink's Low Stadium Flyover Probed in South Africa

South African investigators have downloaded the flight data recorders from two Airlink Embraer jets involved in a controversial low-altitude flyover of Cape Town's DHL Stadium. The South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) initiated compliance checks after global scrutiny of video showing the planes roaring over the packed rugby venue last Saturday. The video went viral worldwide, leaving aviation experts gobsmacked by how low the aircraft appeared to fly over the stadium in Cape Town's Seapoint district.

Airlink, a domestic carrier, had planned three flyovers as part of its sponsorship of the 'Rugby's Greatest Rivalry' tour, having secured the rights as the official airline sponsor. The event at DHL Stadium was the second. Following the public outcry, the airline has withdrawn its application for a third flyover that was already planned for this weekend over Johannesburg's FNB Stadium.

Flight Data Under Scrutiny

The SACAA stated it is verifying how the operation transpired, a process it initiated following various discussions in the media. The verification includes analyzing the downloaded flight data recorders from both aircraft. This data should reveal the precise altitude and speed of the two aircraft, registered as ZS-YAE and ZS-YDE. The authority did not specify if cockpit voice recorders were also downloaded.

Flight tracking service Flight Radar 24 supplied data suggesting one of the aircraft, ZS-YDE, recorded a barometric altitude of just 50 meters over the stadium. Its GPS altitude was noted as 925 feet. The SACAA emphasized that Airlink's original application for the flyover came with all required supporting documentation and that mandatory processes, including a practice flight in a simulator and a safety briefing, were conducted ahead of the operation.

A Defended Tradition

Airlink has firmly defended the flyover. The airline insists the maneuver was well-executed and had received regulatory approval. The two aircraft involved, an Embraer E190 and an E195 regional jet, were painted in a special all-green livery for the rugby tour. ZS-YDE departed Cape Town International Airport at around 2 pm on August 29 and entered a holding pattern over Robben Island before performing the flypast.

Stadium flyovers are a long-standing tradition in South African sports, dating back three decades to 1995 when a South African Airways Boeing 747 jumbojet roared over Ellis Park Stadium during the Rugby World Cup final. Airlink was carrying on that tradition for this tour.

Regulatory Response and Record

In its statement, the SACAA highlighted the country's aviation safety record. "South Africa has one of the most sought-after aviation talents in the world," the authority said, "and as a country we remain proud of the 0% record in fatal accidents in the commercial airline operations space for over four decades."

The investigation continues as authorities piece together the exact details from the flight recorders. The altitude data reveals just how little room there was between the plane and the stadium roof, and the tradition now faces real scrutiny.