Airlink's Dangerously Low Flyover Of DHL Stadium Raises Serious Safety Questions
- On Saturday, two Airlink Embraer E190 jets performed a low-altitude flyover at Cape Town's DHL Stadium moments before the Springboks faced the All Blacks in their Greatest Rivalry match.
- The spectacle revived a South African rugby tradition tracing back to the 1995 Rugby World Cup final at Ellis Park, when a South African Airways Boeing 747 swept overhead with 'GOOD LUCK BOKKE' emblazoned beneath its wings.
- Flight tracking data for ZS-YDE recorded a GPS altitude of 925 feet, while the DHL Stadium stands about 164 feet high, indicating substantially more vertical separation than dramatic camera angles suggested.
- Spectators held their breath as the planes passed, with one TikTok user questioning the safety of the manoeuvre by noting the aircraft 'came very low.'
- Despite the dramatic footage, available flight information confirms the Airlink aircraft maintained safe clearance; the airline serves as the official carrier for squads involved in the Greatest Rivalry.
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In Cape Town, two Embraer jets descended and flew just above the roof of a stadium where a rugby match was about to begin. The maneuver was broadcast live on television and quickly became an internet hit.
The two planes appeared to be about to touch the roof of a stadium packed with tens of thousands of people in Cape Town, in a scene that caused panic before details revealed that what happened was neither accidental nor spontaneous.
The scene took place on Saturday 29 August in South Africa before a rugby match. Two airliners from a company sponsoring the event flew over the stadium at such low altitude that even aviation specialists were moved.
Two Embraer jets of the South African Airlink line flew the fully occupied stadium at apparently only a few metres distance from the roof. The airline rejects criticism of the maneuver
Airlink's Dangerously Low Flyover Of DHL Stadium Raises Serious Safety Questions
It's not uncommon to see flyovers at major sporting events, and they can be pretty spectacular to watch. However, a flyover that happened in South Africa yesterday was maybe a little too impressive, to the point that it potentially put a lot of lives at risk. I'm curious what an investigation reveals into who authorized this, and if the plan was actually followed.
How Safe Was Yesterday's Aircraft Flyover At DHL Stadium As Springboks Played All Blacks
Airlink says the DHL Stadium flyover was rehearsed, regulator-approved and flown by senior captains. The clearance still looks wild because 12.5 to 14 m over a stadium roof is about a four- to five-storey building. The post How Safe Was Yesterday’s Aircraft Flyover At DHL Stadium As Springboks Played All Blacks appeared first on 2oceansvibe News | South African and international news.
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