‘We never intended to become the news’ | Airlink pulls FNB flyby amid SACAA probe

Airlink has broken its silence over news that its pulled its application for another fly-by this weekend.

Airlink has pulled the plug on its planned FNB Stadium formation fly-by, saying unfavourable weather conditions mean safety must come before the spectacle, as the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) continues scrutinising last weekend’s controversial Cape Town operation.

The airline broke its silence after the SACAA confirmed it was analysing flight data and other information from the August 29 flyby over DHL Stadium ahead of the Springboks-All Blacks Test.

According to reports, Airlink CEO de Villiers Engelbrecht said the airline was grateful for the public enthusiasm surrounding the flyby, as well as the questions and concerns it had sparked.

But he stressed: “ We never intended to become the news or upstage Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry .”

Airlink said safety had been its “first consideration” throughout the planning and execution of the Cape Town formation flight and that it had voluntarily handed over the aircraft’s digital flight data recordings to the SACAA to assist with the regulator’s compliance review," reported broadcaster eNCA.

The SACAA said it had requested additional information from Airlink and would issue a full report and recommendations once its assessment was complete.

Meanwhile, Airlink confirmed it had withdrawn its application for another flyby at FNB Stadium this weekend after weather forecasts pointed to conditions it considered unsuitable for a safe formation flight.

“Safety comes first,” Engelbrecht said, apologising to fans who had been hoping for another aerial spectacle.

Airlink submitted three flyby applications linked to the rugby matches, with the first operation taking place in Johannesburg on August 22 and the second in Cape Town on August 29.

The regulator said the Cape Town operation had been approved after the required processes, including a simulator practice flight and safety briefing, had been completed.

It is now examining the operation following public and media discussion around the flyby.

Airlink said the aircraft’s Digital Flight Data Recorders capture more than 1,000 parameters, providing a highly detailed record of the flights.

The airline said the volume and complexity of the data meant the SACAA’s assessment could not be expected to produce immediate conclusions.