Planes flew 12.5m to 14m above stadium

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The Airlink jets that roared over Cape Town Stadium before Saturday’s Springbok-All Blacks Test cleared the top of the venue by as little as 12.5m, according to flight-tracking data.

Two green Airlink Embraer E190 jets performed a spectacular low-level flyover shortly before kick-off, with TV footage making the aircraft appear dangerously close to the stadium roof.

Flightradar24 provided data indicating just how low one of the planes was.

“Earlier today, Airlink performed a pre-match flyover at DHL Stadium in Cape Town,” it posted on X.

“Our lowest recorded ADS-B altitude was 50ft at standard pressure, or approximately 205-210ft AMSL when corrected for the local QNH of 1019 hPa.

“With DHL Stadium standing about 164ft tall near sea level, that puts the aircraft roughly 41-46ft (12.5-14m) above the top of the stadium.”

The dramatic flyover continued a South African rugby tradition made famous before the 1995 World Cup final at Ellis Park, when a South African Airways Boeing 747 piloted by captain Laurie Kay swept over the stadium before the Springboks faced the All Blacks.

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Saturday’s display came before the second Test of the four-match Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series, for which Airlink is the official airline.

In a statement on Sunday, Airlink said that it “notes the concerns expressed in various social media and online forums regarding yesterday’s formation flyby over Cape Town’s DHL Stadium.

“The flight demanded careful planning and rehearsal, as it required navigating 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.

“The two aircraft were flown by highly-experienced crew, with each comprised of three senior captains operating in the roles of commander, co-pilot and safety/technical officer.

“The flight data recorded by both aircraft confirms that the flights were performed within the SACAA’s approved and rehearsed safety altitude and speed limits for the flypast.”

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