\u201c[The] safety margins in this stunt were insufficient. The aircraft were too low,\u201d New Zealand pilot Vaughn Davis wrote on social media.<\/p>\n
\u201cParadoxically, the crowd will have had a better view and seen the aircraft for longer if they\u2019d been higher. <\/p>\n
\u201cDespite the airline\u2019s statement, this won\u2019t have been the planned and authorised altitude. If there\u2019s a flyover at the next match, see if it\u2019s as low.\u201d<\/p>\n
Davis is a former Air Force Hercules pilot who holds an Air Transport Pilot\u2019s Licence, C and D category instructor ratings, instrument rating, low level aerobatic rating, and a formation lead qualification.<\/p>\n
Airlink\u2019s comments<\/p>\n
In an earlier statement, Airlink noted \u201cthe concerns expressed in various social media and online forums regarding yesterday\u2019s formation flyby over Cape Town\u2019s DHL Stadium\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe flight demanded careful planning and rehearsal, as it required navigating at low altitude, at around 150 knots [278km\/h],\u201d Airlink said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe South African Civil Aviation Authority and Air Traffic Navigation Services provided valuable guidance, approval and support to ensure a safe flyby.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe flight data recorded by both aircraft confirms that the flights were performed within the SACAA\u2019s approved and rehearsed safety altitude and speed limits for the flypast.\u201d<\/p>\n
One of the two Airlink aircraft involved in the flyover in Cape Town was struck by pyrotechnics.<\/p>\n
In a statement, a NZ Rugby spokesman acknowledged the flyover tradition but did not say whether the All Blacks would seek any future assurances.<\/p>\n
\u201cFlyovers before test matches in South Africa are a long-standing tradition that fans look forward to, including the two aircraft that flew at low altitude over Cape Town Stadium ahead of the match against South Africa,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cNZR is aware that flyovers will take place prior to matches. These flyovers are organised locally and are not something NZR arranges or has oversight of. <\/p>\n
\u201cNZR is not involved in the operational detail of these particular flights, or in the local civil aviation rules and approval processes that govern them.\u201d<\/p>\n
The rules<\/p>\n
A flyover during the All Blacks v South Africa second test match in Cape Town has sparked a safety debate. Photo \/ action press<\/p>\n
South African aviation officials would have had to give special dispensation for the flyover \u2013 the country\u2019s flight safety rules say no aircraft should be flown over built-up areas or over an open-air assembly of people below 1000ft (304m).<\/p>\n
Davis told the Herald that minimum safe heights for visual flying over built-up areas were set out in each country\u2019s civil aviation rules. <\/p>\n
\u201cIn New Zealand, for example, aircraft need to be 1000 feet above and 600 metres away from cities, crowds and so on. That said, aviation events such as air shows and planned flyovers can be authorised to fly closer and lower if safety margins are in place.\u201d<\/p>\n
Vaughn Davis (left) in his 1953 DHC-1 Chipmunk plane \u2014 with former RAF pilot Bill Macleod in 2025. Photo \/ Mike Tweed<\/p>\n
But he also added: \u201cThere\u2019s a saying in aviation that \u2018you can\u2019t break the record for low flying \u2013 you can only equal it\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n
The NZ CAA responds<\/p>\n
New Zealand\u2019s CAA said it would not be appropriate for it to comment on the Cape Town flyover as it was \u201csubject to South African aviation requirements and oversight\u201d. <\/p>\n
\u201cIn New Zealand, Civil Aviation Rule 91.311 requires an aircraft flying under visual flight rules over a congested area of a city, town or settlement, or an open-air assembly of people, to remain at least 1000 feet above the surface or any obstacle within a horizontal radius of 600 metres,\u201d a CAA spokeswoman said.<\/p>\n
\u201cDifferent minimum-height provisions apply in other areas, and there are specified exceptions.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are separate provisions for aviation events under Rule 91.703. Where an aviation event requires authorisation from the director of Civil Aviation, the organiser must provide an event plan covering matters including the flying programme, the site, spectator safety controls and emergency services.\u201d<\/p>\n
Editor-at-Large Shayne Currie is one of New Zealand\u2019s most experienced senior journalists and media leaders. He has held executive and senior editorial roles at NZME including Managing Editor, NZ Herald Editor and Herald on Sunday Editor and is a former aviation reporter.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The flyover has led to a polarised debate about the safety margins involved and whether they were breached.…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":586159,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[190,4376,5263,15033,1558,9218,8136,13651,3105,43765,70,33840,71,10046,78,28372,33843,111,139,69,28243,10711,1523,6327,1240,213,16674,23371,765,1361,61,2951,6699,23542],"class_list":["post-586158","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-sports","tag-africa","tag-airline","tag-all","tag-aviation","tag-been","tag-before","tag-blacks","tag-cape","tag-data","tag-flew","tag-flight","tag-flyover","tag-from","tag-hands","tag-in","tag-jet","tag-jets","tag-new-zealand","tag-newzealand","tag-nz","tag-offered","tag-officials","tag-over","tag-rugby","tag-south","tag-sports","tag-stadium","tag-sundays","tag-test","tag-that","tag-to","tag-town","tag-towns","tag-voluntarily"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/586158","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=586158"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/586158\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/586159"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=586158"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=586158"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=586158"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}