PLT OF AN SMA SIGHT-SEEING HELI NOTICED DURING PREFLT THAT HE HAD BEEN OPERATING THE ACFT WITHOUT COMPLETE ACFT LOG RECORDS; IE; THE ELT REMOVAL FOR BATTERY REPLACEMENT.

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I WAS OPERATING AS A CONTRACT PLT FOR FBO X FROM JUL/XB/97 UNTIL (AUG/XD/97). DURING THIS TIME THE OP WAS/IS ACTING AS A SCENIC TOUR OPERATED FROM ZZZ TO TOUR SCENIC X TO SCENIC Y. THE OPERATOR DID NOT HAVE A URINALYSIS PROGRAM IN EFFECT. THE OPERATOR; WHEN QUESTIONED ABOUT NO ELT SAID THAT IT HAD BEEN REMOVED FOR A BATTERY AND SENT TO FBO Y. I TOLD HIM THAT HE NEEDED TO HAVE IT IN HIS LOGBOOK AND PLACARDED IN COCKPIT AS BEING REMOVED AND FOR A PERIOD OF NO LONGER THAN 90 DAYS (SAFETY ISSUE). THE OPERATOR WAS OPERATING WITHOUT A RADIO AS WELL (SAFETY ISSUE). THE A&P MECHS (AT THE TIME); WERE NOT GIVEN THE LOGBOOK TO REVIEW AND NEITHER WAS I. (WORK COMPLETED WAS DONE ON A SELF-STICKING LABEL AND SENT TO THE OPERATOR. THE MECH DOES NOT WORK ON THE HELI ANY MORE AFTER THAT OCCURRENCE OR FOR SAFETY REASONS MENTIONED WILL NOT WORK WITH THE OPERATOR AGAIN. NEITHER WILL I. I FEEL THAT THE OPERATOR COULD DO MORE TO ENSURE PAX SAFETY. THIS IS IN LIGHT OF THE REMOTE AND RUGGED TERRAIN THE OP WAS CONDUCTED OVER. AND; ALTHOUGH A RADIO AND AN ELT ARE NOT REQUIRED FOR THIS OP; AN OPERATOR WHO IS CONCERNED FOR PAX SAFETY SHOULD IN MY OPINION HAVE THESE 2 DEVICES AVAILABLE AND IN WORKING ORDER. THIS IS KNOWN AS THE 'REASONABLE MAN' APCH. I BELIEVE THAT SAFETY IS AN ISSUE HERE. I ALSO BELIEVE THAT THE OWNER -- WHO IS NOT A COMMERCIAL PLT ACTED AS A PLT FOR REVENUE ACTIVITIES WITH PAX ON BOARD. I HAVE NO WAY TO VERIFY THE LACK OF COMMERCIAL TICKET. THIS IS BASED ON WORD OF MOUTH.