SA 51 — Lubumbashi to Johannesburg
SA 51 Schedule
South African Airways runs FBM to JNB every day. Scheduled block time is 2h 40m. Typically a Airbus A320.
Airbus A320 (320)
Scheduled equipment: Airbus A320. Airbus-built. Registration, build year, and photo fill in the moment the aircraft broadcasts.
SA 51 Flight Path
Cruise altitude, ground speed, and vertical rate from ADS-B broadcasts. The altitude profile fills in while SA 51 is airborne, capturing climbs, step-climbs, and descents in real time.
Flight path chart appears once SA 51 is airborne and broadcasting.
Frequently Asked Questions
If a plane icon is moving on the map, yes. That's ADS-B, the aircraft's own GPS position broadcast, updated every few seconds. No icon means the flight isn't airborne at the moment: either before pushback, already landed, or a day it doesn't operate.
Scheduled equipment is the 320. The live tracker shows the actual tail and registration when SA 51 is airborne. Carriers swap aircraft often enough that you'll sometimes see a different airframe than the scheduled type.
Every day of the week. On days outside that pattern this page will show the schedule but no live aircraft.
Scheduled 2h 40m gate to gate from FBM to JNB. Actual air time varies with winds and ATC routing. Tailwinds can shave 15 to 20 minutes on long segments.
GPS-accurate via ADS-B. Typically within 30 meters horizontally, updated every 5 to 10 seconds. If the broadcast drops over oceans or mountainous terrain, the map holds the last-known position and the label changes to reflect the signal gap.
A projection from current position, groundspeed, and remaining distance. It doesn't account for descent procedures, holding, or ATC vectoring near the destination. Trust it within plus or minus 10 minutes once the flight is past the halfway mark.
South African Airways is a star_alliance member, so you may see this flight ticketed under a partner airline's code as well. The live aircraft is the same regardless of which code is on your ticket.