Flight Planning
On August 25, 2020, at 18:45, a flight plan was filed with the Rostov Zonal Center of the Unified Air Traffic Management System for helicopter R-44 II (registration RA-04393). The plan specified a flight from the Shikhan landing site near Gelendzhik to the Plastunka landing site in Sochi. At 07:34 on August 26, 2020, an additional clearance was issued for three subsequent flights along the route: Plastunka to the Skypark Sochi landing zone near Krasnaya Polyana and back to Plastunka. The helicopter was equipped with a FleetGuide-4 tracker, which recorded the flight trajectories for that day.
Aircraft and Pilot Arrangements
According to statements from the pilot-in-command (PIC) and the aircraft owner, the PIC rented the helicopter free of charge for the purpose of improving his proficiency and increasing total flight hours on this type. Additionally, at the owner's request, the PIC could conduct flights with the owner's passengers or with the owner personally, also on a non-commercial basis. The PIC held a power of attorney from the owner authorizing him to operate the aircraft.
Pre-Flight Activities
The PIC arrived at the Shikhan landing site at 03:30 on August 26, 2020. He performed a pre-flight inspection of the helicopter in accordance with the flight manual and noted no discrepancies in the technical condition, making an entry in the aircraft logbook. Refueling with AVGAS LL-100 was not necessary, as the remaining fuel from the previous flight was sufficient for the first planned flight. Since no medical support was available at the landing site, the PIC did not undergo a pre-flight medical examination and decided on his fitness to fly independently, which is permitted under Federal Aviation Regulations (FAP-128).
Weather Information
The PIC obtained weather information in TAF/METAR format for Sochi Airport and along the planned route through a meteorological service.