The South African airline behind a daring aerial stunt last Saturday that saw two planes flying in close formation low over a packed stadium has pulled out of doing a similar operation this weekend, the country’s aviation regulator, SACAA, has said.

Public Reaction Divided on the Stunt

Airlink’s flying feat divided opinion with some labelling the startling manoeuvre reckless, while others praised the precision and expertise on display.

SACAA said that while it had approved the applications and safety measures for the flybys, it was now investigating further following “discussions in the media”.

Airlink has not commented on the reported cancellation of Saturday’s display that had been due to place over a stadium in Soweto.

Global Attention on the Low-Flying Stunt

Footage of last weekend’s air show before the start of a rugby match in Cape Town, featuring fierce rivals South Africa and New Zealand, was shared around the world.

The flight tracking website Flightradar24 said that according to its analysis “the lead aircraft passed less than 50ft (15m) above the top of the stadium”.

From some angles the jets appeared very close to the roof of the DHL Stadium as they roared over amid coloured flare smoke.

The airline said the flights were performed with the “approved and rehearsed safety altitude and speed limits for the flypast” and were conducted by a “highly experienced crew”.

But Airlink will not be repeating the flights over the stadium in Soweto, Johannesburg, that is hosting the third and deciding test between the Springboks and the All Blacks, according to SACAA.

The regulator said that while the company had followed all the correct procedures it had now “obtained the flight data recording downloads as well as other additional requirements” for further analysis.

Emphasis on Aviation Safety

“SACAA, as the safety net of the South African skies, gives the public the assurance that aviation safety and security compliance will always remain paramount and is not negotiable,” it said in a statement emphasising the excellent air safety record in the country.

The flyby has been a feature at major sporting and presidential events in South Africa several times over the years – using both military jets and commercial airlines.

A pre-game stunt involving two passenger jets flying dramatically low over a stadium in South Africa drew huge cheers from the estimated crowd of 56,000 people, but also sparked a major debate over safety risks.

The flyby by two Embraer jets, operated by the local airline Airlink, happened on Saturday before the second rugby union Test between South Africa and New Zealand in Cape Town.

The flight tracking service Flightradar24 estimated that the lead jet passed just 41-46 feet (12-14 metres) above the roof of Cape Town Stadium, with the crowd and the world’s top-ranked rugby teams below.

The second jet, which was very close behind, flew through a cloud of pink dust that shot up from the stadium roof as part of the show.

Airlink, a sponsor of the South Africa rugby union team, said the flyby was conducted according to safety regulations, as the airline said that it was carefully planned and rehearsed, with the aircraft flying at 150 knots (172 mph), when they went over the stadium. Each jet had three senior captains on board, Airlink said, operating in the roles of a commander, a co-pilot and a safety officer — the jets were not carrying any passengers.

“Airlink notes the concerns expressed in various social media and online forums regarding yesterday’s formation flyby over Cape Town’s DHL Stadium,” Airlink said on Sunday — “The flight demanded careful planning and rehearsal, as it required working through at low altitude, at around 150 knots. The South African Civil Aviation Authority and Air Traffic Navigation Services provided valuable guidance, approval and support to ensure a safe flyby.”

South African rugby union has a tradition of stadium flybys at big games, starting when a Boeing 747 flew over a stadium in Johannesburg before the 1995 World Cup final between the same teams, who are fierce rivals. But the flyby last weekend was especially low and dramatic, generating global interest after it was shown as part of the pre-game broadcast, and sparking a flurry of videos shot by witnesses.

Some aviation experts questioned whether the margin for error was too small. “Basically, that lead aircraft … was kind of like dodging over the roof and climbing over the one side and dipping below and then climbing over the other side. That was a little bit uncomfortable,” Chris Martinus, president of Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association South Africa, said, as “[If] something adverse happens, you just don’t have options at that kind of altitude.”

Keith Tonkin, an Australian aviation consultant and former military and commercial pilot, said on Monday that the Embraer passenger jets – which are small-to-medium jets designed for regional flights – were not designed or intended for that kind of low-level operation and warned against the precedent.

“The bigger picture is that a benchmark has been established and others may expect to do something similar, and that’s not going to end well,” Tonkin said. He added that turbulence or a bird strike at such a low altitude could be dangerous.