clo1973 From Colombia, joined Apr 2006, 237 posts, RR: 0 Posted (3 years 4 months 1 week 6 days 14 hours ago) and read 23993 times:
I have a question regarding SAA...
I just saw the great movie INVICTUS, there is one scene of the movie (based on real events) in which a 747 from SAA does a real close fly-by over the stadium in "support" of the Rugby southafrican team who was about to play the world cup final in 1995.
I've also seen pictures of SAA planes flying in formation and doing all kinds of crazy things......quite unusual for a commercial airliner, what is the logic behind this? why does SAA do this kind of stuff?
FlyDeltaJets87 From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 1, posted (3 years 4 months 1 week 6 days 13 hours ago) and read 23964 times:
Quoting clo1973 (Thread starter): I just saw the great movie INVICTUS, there is one scene of the movie (based on real events) in which a 747 from SAA does a real close fly-by over the stadium in "support" of the Rugby southafrican team who was about to play the world cup final in 1995.
Maybe someone from South Africa can chime in and add more or correct me, but my guess is they over-dramatized this portion in Invictus (which was an outstanding movie, btw), feeding off of the style of the September 11th attacks. Remember part of the movie focuses on the threats to Nelson Mandela and the integrated security team working to protect him, and I believe the point of that scene was to lead the audience to temporarily believe that some crazed angry white nut was about to single handily remove Mandela from office by killing him with the plane. However, when the audience sees the plane flying low right at the stadium, combined with the dialogue between the crew, the audience instinctively begins to think "9/11", adding to the suspense temporarily.
Swallow From Uganda, joined Jul 2007, 545 posts, RR: 0 Reply 2, posted (3 years 4 months 1 week 6 days 13 hours ago) and read 23926 times:
There is a detailed description of that flypast in the book "Playing The Enemy". The pilot opened the throttles just as he was over Ellis Park stadium and filled it with noise. This added to the din, hype and atmosphere of the World Cup final. The pilots did lots of practice in the sims before the actual flight.
SAA routinely does flypasts on presidential inaugurations. Some of their pilots are ex-SAAF and would be used to flying in formation. Last April they did it with the A340s.
CV990Coronado From South Africa, joined Nov 2007, 273 posts, RR: 0 Reply 3, posted (3 years 4 months 1 week 6 days 12 hours ago) and read 23886 times:
I was fortunate to be at the event at the effect was incredible. The aircraft was ZS SAN "Lebombo" a 747-200 which is now at the museum at Rand airport in Johannesburg. The Captain way Capt Laurie Kaye.
SSC-707B727 737-741234SP757/762/3/772/WA300/10/319/2/1-342/3/6-880-DAM-VC10 TRD 111 Ju52-DC8/9/10/11-YS11-748-VCV DH4B L
Andz From South Africa, joined Feb 2004, 8306 posts, RR: 11 Reply 6, posted (3 years 4 months 1 week 6 days 11 hours ago) and read 23795 times:
Quoting FlyDeltaJets87 (Reply 1): I believe the point of that scene was to lead the audience to temporarily believe that some crazed angry white nut was about to single handily remove Mandela from office by killing him with the plane. However, when the audience sees the plane flying low right at the stadium, combined with the dialogue between the crew, the audience instinctively begins to think "9/11", adding to the suspense temporarily.
I think that's a stretch, the flyby wasn't really a surprise so there was no drama apart from the thrill of the flyover itself.
I haven't seen the movie so maybe artistic licence has created this perception, but in reality, no.
After Monday and Tuesday even the calendar says WTF...
I380North From United States of America, joined Feb 2009, 117 posts, RR: 0 Reply 7, posted (3 years 4 months 1 week 6 days 1 hour ago) and read 23552 times:
I may be wrong here but I thought the flyover was an A340 and not B747?
FlyDeltaJets87 From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 8, posted (3 years 4 months 1 week 6 days 1 hour ago) and read 23534 times:
Quoting Andz (Reply 6): I think that's a stretch, the flyby wasn't really a surprise so there was no drama apart from the thrill of the flyover itself.
I haven't seen the movie so maybe artistic licence has created this perception, but in reality, no.
I'm not surprised and obviously 1995 was before 2001. But in the movie, they make it seem as though it was a surprise. The security team for Mandela sees the plane coming and begins to react, but then realizes they can't do anything and just have to wait to see what happens. Also, the dialouge from the Captain to the First Officer implies that it wasn't planned at all, saying in a very serious and straight forward tone "I have the aircraft. I assume full responsibility for what is about to happen".
Like I said, I think for the purpose of the movie, it was done this way to add temporary suspense.
Andz From South Africa, joined Feb 2004, 8306 posts, RR: 11 Reply 9, posted (3 years 4 months 1 week 6 days ago) and read 23486 times:
Quoting FlyDeltaJets87 (Reply 8): But in the movie, they make it seem as though it was a surprise. The security team for Mandela sees the plane coming and begins to react, but then realizes they can't do anything and just have to wait to see what happens. Also, the dialouge from the Captain to the First Officer implies that it wasn't planned at all, saying in a very serious and straight forward tone "I have the aircraft. I assume full responsibility for what is about to happen".
Typical Hollywood sensationalism then. And, unless the security team were on the roof of the stadium they wouldn't have seen it until it was practically overhead.
Quoting I380North (Reply 7): I may be wrong here but I thought the flyover was an A340 and not B747?
The 1995 flyover was a 742. SAA didn't get 340s until 2003.
After Monday and Tuesday even the calendar says WTF...
clo1973 From Colombia, joined Apr 2006, 237 posts, RR: 0 Reply 11, posted (3 years 4 months 1 week 5 days 14 hours ago) and read 23256 times:
Thanks for the responses!...however, the question still is why SAA does the flyby's and formations?..to my knowledge it is the only airline in the world that does that kind of stuff....
I once sat jump seat on a 747SP on a flight from JNB to DUR which is less than an hour. During the flight we climbed to FL410. I asked the Captain why we were climbing so high on such a short flight and he replied "because we can" Â
After Monday and Tuesday even the calendar says WTF...
Swallow From Uganda, joined Jul 2007, 545 posts, RR: 0 Reply 13, posted (3 years 4 months 1 week 5 days 13 hours ago) and read 23239 times:
Quoting clo1973 (Reply 11): the question still is why SAA does the flyby's and formations?
Because they can Â
Seriously, according to John Carlin, the author of "Playing The Enemy" on which Invictus is based, SAA did the flyover for marketing purposes. Capt Laurie Kay was the airline's most experienced 747 pilot, with 30 years of stunt flying experience and he also did air acrobatic shows.
SAA worked with the SABC to ensure the flyover occurred at exactly 1442 hrs and 45 sec. This would guarantee maximum TV exposure at an event which was being broadcast live around the world.
Laurie flew so low he was only 200ft above the highest seats in the stadium to ensure the words 'Go Bokke" could be read by the spectators. The 747 was flying at 140 knots, just short of stall speed, when he opened the taps and dumped all that power and noise into the stadium while generating max power to climb out.
The crowd did not see the plane coming. Their reaction was one of 'sheer terror' followed by excitement. President Mandela jumped!
Laurie came back for a second flypast after 80 seconds.
It has been called the most outrageous flyover in history. Â
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