A dramatic flyover by two Airlink passenger aircraft before the Springboks faced the All Blacks in Cape Town has gone viral on social media, with viewers stunned by how close the planes appeared to the stadium.
The two Embraer jets flew over DHL Stadium shortly before kick-off on Saturday, 29 August, as thousands of rugby fans gathered for the second Test of the Castle Double Malt Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series.
One aircraft was painted in Springbok green, while the other featured black colours representing New Zealand. The planes flew in formation as pyrotechnics were set off around the stadium, creating a spectacular pre-match display.
However, footage of the flyover quickly sparked concern online, with several social media users questioning whether the aircraft had flown too close to the stadium roof.
Flight-tracking data analysed by Flightradar24 indicated that the lead aircraft passed less than 50 feet above the top of the stadium. The data also requires adjustments for factors such as terrain, atmospheric pressure and the height of the stadium structure.
Other reports have estimated that the aircraft cleared the stadium roof by around 12 to 14 metres, although the precise clearance has been the subject of discussion following the viral footage.
The dramatic images have attracted widespread attention, with some viewers describing the flyover as spectacular while others raised concerns about the safety of flying passenger aircraft at such a low altitude over a packed stadium.
The flyover was part of the official pre-match spectacle for Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry. Airlink is the official domestic airline partner of the tour and is responsible for transporting the South African and New Zealand teams and their support staff between matches.
Airlink had previously staged a formation flyby over Ellis Park in Johannesburg ahead of the first Test between the two sides.
Despite the concerns generated by the Cape Town flyover, the match itself went ahead without incident. The Springboks defeated the All Blacks 33–26 in front of a crowd of 56,589, levelling the four-match series at one win apiece.
The dramatic flyover has since become one of the most talked-about moments from the match, with multiple angles of the aircraft circulating widely online.