SACAA Statement: Airlink Flypast

Statement on the review of the flyby at Cape Town DHL Stadium

02 September 2026, Johannesburg - Airlink acknowledges the South African Civil Aviation Authority’s (SACAA) update on the support it is providing in reviewing the flight data and all relevant information relating to the planning, preparation and production of last Saturday’s formation flyby over the Cape Town DHL Stadium.

It is important to clarify that this is a review and not an “investigation”.

Similarly, Airlink is grateful for the enthusiastic appreciation that many people have expressed regarding last Saturday’s Cape Town Stadium flyby as well as the valid questions and concerns raised. However, we never intended to become the news or upstage Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry.

Be assured that safety was the first consideration at every stage of the process. As with all flybys we have conducted, it demanded careful planning, rehearsal and the authorisation, support and guidance of the SACAA and Air Traffic Navigation Services to ensure it was performed safely.

Both aircraft were flown by crews comprising three senior captains (representing over 75,000 combined flight hours of experience) operating in the roles of commander, co-pilot and safety/technical officer. Each pilot holds an Airline Transport Pilot Licence, the highest level of commercial pilot qualification.

The flyby was performed safely and due to the unprecedented public interest it created, Airlink, on its own initiative, volunteered to provide the “black box” digital flight data recordings to the SACAA to support its compliance review.

Unlike public flight tracking mobile apps that rely on rudimentary satellite positioning information, the DFDRs on modern commercial jetliners are sophisticated devices able to trace over a thousand parameters and data points to present a precise and complex picture – measured in milliseconds - of every control input, power settings, altitude, horizontal and vertical speed, pitch attitude, acceleration and the visual flight path along with numerous other readings.

Due to the complexity, the number of parameters and other factors to be examined, it is unrealistic to expect immediate feedback and recommendations from the SACAA. Airlink is, and will continue to support the SACAA with its review process.

Although we have also heard the widespread enthusiasm for a flyby at FNB Stadium this weekend, the forecast weather points to unfavourable conditions for a safe formation flyby. It is on this basis that we withdrew the application for a flyby this Saturday. As a sponsor, it was not Airlink’s intention to detract from the rugby test matches between South Africa and New Zealand. We’re sorry to disappoint fans and supporters but safety comes first and we’re also certain the players will provide more than enough on-field excitement.