Planes fly just 50 feet above packed stadium roof during rugby match flyover

Two aircraft drew widespread attention Sunday after flying low over DHL Stadium in Cape Town, appearing to pass just above the venue’s roof.

FlightRadar24 data showed the lead aircraft flew less than 50 feet above the stadium before South Africa’s match against New Zealand.

What they're saying:

"Our lowest recorded ADS-B altitude was 50 ft at standard pressure, or approximately 205–210 ft AMSL when corrected for the local QNH of 1019 hPa. With DHL Stadium standing about 164 ft tall near sea level, that puts the aircraft roughly 41–46 ft  above the top of the stadium," FlightRadar24 said.

Dig deeper:

Video posted to X by user @CaptSpringbok captured the aircraft soaring over the stadium as spectators cheered. The person filming can be heard shouting, "yes baby!" as the planes come into view.

Airlink, which operated the aircraft, said it was aware of concerns raised online about the formation flyover.

"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."

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