“That was the point. Russian troops on the road to the Georgian capital saw them above and soon after turned back.”
Total nonsense. After the Russian army cleared South Ossetia, it made some small incursions into Georgia proper to destroy forces deployed near SO/Abkhazia that could counterattack. Russia never had any intention of seizing more parts of Georgia or raiding the capital. The idea that Russia was going to do these things, but were scared away by a US plane carrying aid is ridiculous.
You are correct.