Overview
On 27 June 2015, the pilot-in-command (PIC) of a Robinson R-44 II helicopter, registration RA-05765, planned a flight with a single passenger. The intended route consisted of a landing site near Kemerovo Severny Airport, a landing site near the settlement of Makaraksky, and a return to the departure point.
Flight Planning
The flight plan was filed with the Novosibirsk Zonal Air Traffic Control Center on the same day, in accordance with established procedures, and approval for the flight was received. The PIC arrived at the departure landing site near Kemerovo Severny Airport at 01:05 along with the passenger and commenced preflight preparations.
Preflight Actions
The PIC did not undergo a preflight medical examination. According to a note referencing Paragraph 8.10.1 of the Federal Aviation Rules (FAP-128), when flights are conducted from aerodromes or landing sites where no authorized medical personnel are available, a preflight medical examination is not required. In such cases, the decision on crew fitness rests with the PIC.
Furthermore, the PIC did not submit a request for meteorological service to the Kemerovo Aeronautical Meteorological Center (AMC) and did not seek a preflight meteorological consultation or other meteorological support from that center. However, the applicable regulations allow the PIC to obtain weather information from other sources and to use that information when making the go/no-go decision, as long as the requirements of Paragraph 2.8 of FAP-128 are satisfied. That paragraph stipulates that before a flight, particularly for VFR operations beyond the departure aerodrome area, the PIC must ensure that information on actual weather or a suitable weather briefing is obtained.
Regulatory Context
The operations described conform to the flexibility provided under Russian aviation regulations, which place responsibility for certain preflight checks, including medical fitness and weather assessment, on the PIC when infrastructure such as on-site medical staff or meteorological offices is not available. The exact outcome of the flight is not documented in this excerpt.