Flight Planning
On 7 July 2015, the pilot-in-command (PIC) of a Robinson R-66 helicopter, registration RA-05773, belonging to Baikal-Trek LLC, planned a flight along the route: PP Kitoy – Snezhnaya River (ranger's hut) – Temnik River and back. According to the PIC, he arrived at PP Kitoy at approximately 05:40 UTC.
Pre-Flight Actions
The PIC did not submit an application for airspace usage, did not obtain clearance for flight in Class G airspace, and did not request meteorological information from the Irkutsk branch of AVIAMETTELEKOM ROSGIDROMET. He could have obtained weather information from other sources to make a go/no-go decision, which would have been permissible under FAP-128, paragraph 2.8. The PIC stated that he conducted the pre-flight medical check and pre-flight preparation himself and did not formalize a flight assignment. FAP-128, paragraph 8.10.1, notes that when performing aerial work and other flights from aerodromes without a medical worker, the PIC may conduct the pre-flight medical check independently.
Regulations
FAP-128, paragraph 2.8, requires the PIC, before a flight for aerial work or general aviation, to ensure that, for VFR flights except those in the departure aerodrome area, the actual weather or a selection of current reports and forecasts indicate that meteorological conditions along the part of the route to be flown under VFR will allow VFR compliance at the planned time.