Overview
- The low formation that flew over Cape Town’s DHL Stadium on Aug. 29 has prompted the South African Civil Aviation Authority to open compliance verifications and download flight‑data recorders for analysis.
- Airlink withdrew its application for the planned FNB Stadium flypast and told regulators the decision was linked to unfavourable weather forecasts while also voluntarily supplying black‑box data.
- Independent flight‑tracking services recorded ADS‑B altitudes that, after local pressure correction, implied the lead jet cleared the stadium roof by roughly 12.5–14 metres (about 41–46 feet), a margin many experts say is narrow.
- SACAA says the flypasts had been approved under Part 91.06.32 for Special Air Events but the authority is now checking whether the crews flew inside the exact authorised altitude and speed limits.
- Stadium flyovers are a long South African rugby tradition dating to 1995, and the episode could prompt regulators to tighten rules or guidance for commercial formation passes and affect how future matchday displays are planned.