Airlink Defends 2-Jet Stadium Flyby After Aircraft Passed Within 50 Feet
Updated
Updated · bbc.co.uk · Aug 31
Airlink Defends 2-Jet Stadium Flyby After Aircraft Passed Within 50 Feet
3 articles · Updated · bbc.co.uk · Aug 31
Summary
Airlink said the two-aircraft flyby over Cape Town's DHL Stadium was carefully planned and backed by aviation authorities after criticism of the pre-match stunt.
Flightradar24 said its analysis showed the lead jet passed less than 50 feet above the top of the packed stadium during the South Africa-New Zealand rugby match.
The airline said each aircraft carried three senior captains and that the formation was flown within approved, rehearsed safety altitude and speed limits.
The maneuver split reaction between warnings over disaster risk and praise for the pilots' precision, echoing South Africa's tradition of dramatic rugby flypasts dating to the 1995 World Cup final.