Airlink has cancelled a planned formation flyby over Johannesburg’s FNB Stadium this weekend, just days after two of its aircraft stunned spectators by flying in close formation over a packed stadium in Cape Town.
The airline cited an unfavourable weather forecast, saying the conditions would not support a safe formation flyby before South Africa’s rugby match against New Zealand on Saturday.
Last weekend’s dramatic display at Cape Town’s DHL Stadium quickly went viral. Video showed the aircraft roaring over the stadium amid coloured flare smoke, with some viewing angles making the jets appear extraordinarily close to the roof.
According to Flightradar24’s analysis, the lead aircraft passed less than 50 feet (15 metres) above the top of the stadium — a figure that triggered both admiration and concern among aviation enthusiasts and the public.
While many praised the pilots’ precision and skill, others questioned whether such a low-level formation flight over a crowded venue was too risky.
Now, South Africa’s Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) has launched a compliance review of the operation. The regulator said it had approved the original flyby application but began reviewing the operation following widespread discussion in the media.
SACAA said it had engaged with Airlink, obtained the aircraft’s flight-data recordings and requested additional information as part of its verification process. A flight simulator was also used to rehearse the planned operation during the approval process.
Airlink CEO de Villiers Engelbrecht defended the Cape Town display, saying the flight was conducted by a highly experienced crew using approved and rehearsed safety altitude and speed limits.
The airline has also voluntarily offered its digital flight-data recordings to assist with the review, acknowledging both the enormous public enthusiasm and the legitimate concerns raised.
“We never intended to become the news or upstage Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry,” Engelbrecht said.
The decision means spectators at FNB Stadium will not see the expected repeat of the spectacular formation flight this Saturday.
Stadium flybys have long been a feature of major sporting and presidential events in South Africa — but this latest incident highlights just how fine the line can be between an impressive aviation spectacle and a highly scrutinised safety operation.
