Jan de Koning uses Airlink's viral pre-match flyover — two Embraer E-Jets, one Springbok green and one All Black black, skimming 12–14 metres above the Cape Town Stadium roof — as a springboard to examine the history and cultural weight of South African stadium flypasts. The piece traces the tradition from its 1918 World Series origins through to the iconic 1995 World Cup Final, when SAA Captain Laurie Kay banked a 747 over Ellis Park with 'GOOD LUCK BOKKE' painted on its belly. De Koning argues that while the Airlink stunt was technically extraordinary — months of simulator prep, three senior captains per aircraft, SACAA-approved altitudes — it can't eclipse 1995 on sheer cultural and political magnitude. The piece also addresses the international backlash: foreign aviation experts called for investigations, but local authorities and Airlink have firmly defended the operation as planned, rehearsed, and within approved safety parameters.
Goosebumps at 12 metres: How Airlink's Cape Town flyover stacks up against 1995
De Koning ranks the Airlink Cape Town flyover as a genuine spectacle — but maintains 1995 remains untouchable, while addressing the international safety debate the stunt has ignited.
- Springboks
- New Zealand
- Cape Town Stadium
- Rugby World Cup
Brown confirms post-2027 All Blacks move but eyes World Cup glory with Boks first
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Hansen's Right to Back Himself — But the Boks' Five-Match Streak Tells a Different Story
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Keo & Zels: Stubborn All Blacks policy make Boks smile
The boys love that New Zealand keep picking their second-best, long may it continue.