There will be no flyover ahead of the third Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry Test between the Springboks and the All Blacks in Soweto, Airlink has confirmed.
The decision comes after the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) launched an investigation into a controversial flypast before last weekend’s Test at DHL Stadium in Cape Town.
The Springboks defeated New Zealand 33-26 in the match, but the flypast attracted widespread attention after one of the aircraft appeared to fly extremely low over the stadium. Estimates suggested the aircraft was around 15 metres above the venue’s roof.
Flyovers have become a familiar feature of major Springboks Tests, particularly matches against the All Blacks. The tradition dates back to the 1995 Rugby World Cup, when an aircraft famously flew over Ellis Park before the two sides met.
The SACAA confirmed that it was examining the 29 August flypast and had begun compliance checks following concerns raised about the operation.
The regulator said Airlink had submitted three applications for flypasts linked to the rugby matches. The Cape Town operation was the second of the three, following an earlier flypast in Johannesburg on 22 August.
According to the SACAA, Airlink submitted the required documentation and completed the necessary preparations, including a simulator practice flight and safety briefing.
The flypast was subsequently approved under the regulations governing Special Air Events.
However, following public and media discussion about the Cape Town operation, the SACAA engaged with Airlink and obtained flight data recordings and other information as part of its assessment.
The authority said it was analysing the information and had requested additional details from the airline before reaching a final conclusion.
A full report, including recommendations, will be provided to Airlink once the assessment has been completed.
Airlink said on Wednesday that the flypast had been carefully planned and rehearsed, with safety remaining its “first consideration at every stage of the process”.
The airline said each aircraft involved had three senior captains on board, with the crews having a combined flight experience of more than 75,000 hours.
Despite defending the planning and safety measures behind the operation, Airlink acknowledged the concerns raised following the flypast.
Airlink chief executive De Villiers Engelbrecht said the airline had no intention of drawing attention away from the highly anticipated rivalry.
“We never intended to become the news or upstage Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry,” Engelbrecht said.
With the third Test set to take place in Soweto, Airlink has confirmed that no flyover will be conducted before the match.