There will be no flyover before Saturday's third Rugby's Greatest Rivalry Test at FNB Stadium in Soweto after Airlink withdrew its application following the South African Civil Aviation Authority's decision to investigate last weekend's flypast in Cape Town.
The SACAA confirmed it has obtained flight data recorder downloads from the 29 August flypast at DHL Stadium, where one of two Airlink aircraft passed an estimated 15 metres above the venue's roof during the pre-match display ahead of South Africa's 33-26 victory over the All Blacks. The low pass went viral worldwide and prompted the regulator to initiate compliance verifications and engage the operator directly.
The SACAA's statement clarified that Airlink had submitted three applications covering all three Tests in the series. The first flypast, in Johannesburg on 22 August, proceeded without incident. The second, the Cape Town flypast now under scrutiny, was approved following a simulator practice flight and a pre-operation safety briefing, as required under Part 91.06.32 of aviation regulations. The third application, for Soweto, has now been withdrawn.
Airlink CEO de Villiers Engelbrecht said the airline acknowledges both the public enthusiasm for the Cape Town display and the legitimate questions it has raised, adding that the airline never intended to overshadow the match itself. The SACAA said a full report with recommendations will be provided to Airlink once its assessment is complete.