Flight Planning
On 27 November 2016, the pilot-in-command, who was also one of the aircraft owners, submitted a flight plan for a Robinson R-44 helicopter (registration RA-04195) to the Rostov Air Traffic Management Center. The planned flight was for 28 November 2016 with two passengers. The intended route was from a point near the Yalta-Intourist hotel in Yalta to a point at coordinates 44°30'N, 034°14'E, then to a point at 45°05'N, 034°38'E, near the town of Belogorsk in the Republic of Crimea.
Clearance and Medical Examination
On the morning of 28 November, at 04:30, the pilot contacted the Simferopol sector planning controller by telephone to request clearance for the flight. The controller issued a clearance for the planned flight, as recorded in a transcript of the conversation at 04:29:24. The pilot did not undergo a pre-flight medical examination before the flight. According to regulations (FAP-128, paragraph 8.10.1), such an examination is not required when departing from locations without a qualified medical officer; in such cases, the pilot-in-command is responsible for deciding on fitness to fly.
Documentation and Coordination
The flight plan was transmitted from the Rostov Center to the Simferopol Regional Center on 27 November 2016 at 12:28 UTC. The director of the Krymaeronavigation branch confirmed receipt and processing of the application in a response dated 1 December 2016.