Airlink Cape Town stadium flyby - almost an oops!

ElPaso Pilot

ElPaso Pilot

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Airlink statement on the flyby at Cape Town DHL Stadium

30 August 2026, Cape Town – Airlink notes the concerns expressed in various social media and online forums regarding yesterday’s formation flyby over Cape Town’s DHL Stadium.

The flight demanded careful planning and rehearsal, as it required navigating at low altitude, at around 150 knots. The South African Civil Aviation Authority and Air Traffic Navigation Services provided valuable guidance, approval and support to ensure a safe flyby.

The two aircraft were flown by highly-experienced crew, with each comprised of three senior captains operating in the roles of commander, co-pilot and safety/technical officer.

The flight data recorded by both aircraft confirms that the flights were performed within the SACAA’s approved and rehearsed safety altitude and speed limits for the flypast.

Really??
 
"Successful stunt was successful"

It must be freeing to not be constantly looking for what could go wrong. I love it in Cape Town and will return some day.
 
Could one of those turbines ingest a cardboard fireworks tube with impunity?
 
Domenick said:
Could one of those turbines ingest a cardboard fireworks tube with impunity?
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Yes. Though if I understand things correctly it would require an inspection.

Also, there were no cardboard tubes in this setup. This was an air blast puffing up a colored powder, not a firework in the conventional sense.
 
Is it just me or does it look like he’s precariously close to pulling blind lead?

A/s and alt be dammed, that looks dicey.
 
I see no shadow of the first plane which seems suspicious. There is one of the second plane which is in the powder plume.
 
Tools said:
Is it just me or does it look like he’s precariously close to pulling blind lead?

A/s and alt be dammed, that looks dicey.
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Nah. If you watch the video, each aircraft makes a turn in the opposite direction immediately after clearing the stadium to establish lateral separation. Definitely not something that could get approval with the FAA, but luckily it passed muster with the SA authorities. There's some video of the flyby from some of the facility crew members standing on top of the roof which is pretty sweet. The guys on the roof would have been able to feel the wake turbulence from that first aircraft, lol.
 
Totally legitimate safety critiques aside, who wouldn't want to be a part of something like this either as a crew member or a spectator?
 
schmookeeg said:
"Successful stunt was successful"

It must be freeing to not be constantly looking for what could go wrong. I love it in Cape Town and will return some day.
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It is a cool place.. We arrived on 09/01/2019 just as the Springboks were leaving for the Rugby World Cup... which they won.

We too could spend some more time there...
 
cowman said:
Totally legitimate safety critiques aside, who wouldn't want to be a part of something like this either as a crew member or a spectator?
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I mean, it'd be cool if it didn't crash. That's the problem...

Also, if you're in the stadium, the jet clearing the stadium by 100-200 feet is just as cool as the jet clearing the stadium by 30 feet. You probably couldn't even tell the difference, and one of them is significantly safer...
 
cowman said:
Totally legitimate safety critiques aside, who wouldn't want to be a part of something like this either as a crew member or a spectator?
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I wouldn't. Airliner "flybys" are the ultimate tryhard. It's like watching the movie Rudy, but with a post-modernist eye.

flyingcheesehead said:
the jet clearing the stadium by 100-200 feet is just as cool as the jet clearing the stadium by 30 feet. You probably couldn't even tell the difference, and one of them is significantly safer...
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yup, that's the selfish thing about low-level barnstorming. Doing gratuitous excrement over people who didn't consent, nor could tell/appreciate the range difference even if they did anyways. Of course, the more reactionary/contrarian-brained freedom fries types will naturally quip that all public patrons somehow consent by virtue of being in public...*clown nose chime*

Insiders aren't impressed anyways; best case scenario you break even, worst case you get a moratorium on all flybys and everybody is worse off, just because a few tryhards don't know their lane in life.
 
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