Emirates Airlines operated a spectacular flyover, during the opening festivities of an international rugby test match in Johannesburg.
Emirates took to the skies to celebrate its longstanding and ongoing commitment to South Africa, with the country’s first-ever A380 flyover.
RUGBY TEST MATCH
Emirates flew its A380 (the world’s largest commercial passenger aircraft) over Emirates Airline Park in Johannesburg at the sporting event held on 31 August.
Emirates Johannesburg flyover honoured the airline’s shared love for rugby with over 62 000 enthusiastic spectators.
The flyover took place after New Zealand’s rugby team performed its customary Haka and just before kick-off of the much-anticipated Springboks vs All Blacks test match.
Flying at an altitude of just 500 feet above the ground, the Airbus A380 saluted rugby and aviation fans.
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EMIRATES FLYOVER AT JOHANNESBURG STADIUM
Running up the score, the remarkable low-level aerial showcase also marks Emirates’ first-ever flypast in Africa. Moreover, it was the first international airline to execute such a feat in South Africa.
Captain Mubarak Al Mheiri, A380 Deputy Chief Pilot commanded the flight. He was joined by Captain Khalid Binsultan and Captain Abdalla Al Hammadi, both Technical Pilots for the Airbus A380 and Captain Richard Fiess, A380 Captain.
The Emirates A380 took off from O.R. Tambo International Airport at 16:00, travelling at a speed of 140 kts, reaching the stadium at 16:58, perfectly timed to follow South Africa and New Zealand’s national anthems.
62,000 spectators. Two titans of rugby. One Emirates A380. ✈️ 🏟 🏉
— Emirates (@emirates) September 1, 2024
Our special flypast of Emirates Airline Park in Johannesburg made an epic clash even more iconic. @lionsrugbyco pic.twitter.com/RVq2BSokMp
SIGNIFICANT PLANNING REQUIRED
The impressive aerial feat follows months of thorough and cross-functional planning between stakeholders.
These include multiple teams at Emirates, South African Civil Aviation Authority, Airports Company South Africa, Emirates pilots, Flight Operation Managers and Air Traffic Controllers working together with the Emirates Lions team.
The teams worked together across every element of the aerial display.
The planning took into account air traffic patterns at different times of the day with different weather and wind conditions.
FLYOVERS AT SPORTING EVENTS
Flyovers have become somewhat of an institution at major sporting events in South Africa in recent years.
However, aircraft flyovers at previous sporting events, mainly rugby matches, have been operated by South African-based airlines.
Pieter Burger, Ellis Park Stadium Managing Director, said, “The flyover has become such a pre-match entertainment staple at the iconic Emirates Airline Park. First witnessed in 1995 at the final of the international rugby showpiece where the South African national rugby team was victorious, to have had this moment tonight against the very same opposition was a thrilling experience for fans watching at the stadium and at home.
SOUTH AFRICAN AIRWAYS FLYOVER
A South African Airways aircraft, a Boeing 747-200, flew over Johannesburg’s Ellis Park Stadium in July 1995.
The Rugby World Cup was hosted by South Africa that year.
The aircraft, captained by Laurie Kay, a South African pilot best known for flying a Boeing 747 passenger jet over the Johannesburg stadium before the final of the 1995 Rugby World Cup, can now be visited at the South African Airways Museum at Rand Airport.
The words GO BOKKE can still be seen under the fuselage of the parked aircraft.
FLYSAFAIR FLYOVER
In July last year two FlySafair aircraft, Boeing 737-800s, flew over Pretoria’s Loftus Versfeld Stadium.
The two-plane flyover was in support of the Springboks before they kicked off a match against Australia.
The airline also flew over Johannesburg’s Ellis Park Stadium in 2017, before a rugby match between France and South Africa.
CELEBRATION FOR EMIRATES
The flyover by Emirates was not only intended to celebrate a love for sport and the airline’s support for rugby.
It was indeed Emirates’ first-ever flyover in Africa and the first international airline to execute such a feat in South Africa.
Incidentally, this aircraft flyover was also the first time an Airbus A380 has flown over Ellis Park Stadium.
The event also celebrates the resumption of Emirates’ second daily A380 service on the Dubai-Johannesburg route.
