SCUBA diving and flying

aero220 · Post by **aero220** » Sun Jun 17, 2007 7:03 pm

Hi,

I am looking for current information on scuba diving and flying, Mainly the risk of it. If anyone has pertinent information, please share.

Thank you

pika · Post by **pika** » Sun Jun 17, 2007 7:13 pm

Risk is nitrogen comes out of solution more easily at altitude making decompression sickness more likely. Minimum 12 hour surface interval after a dive before flying. 18 hours after repetitive dives. That's a PADI recommend. FOM company limits are "usually" 24 hours.

Google this. "flying after diving"

http://www.diversalertnetwork.org/medic ... ticleid=20

These guys are the authority.

Longtimer · Post by **Longtimer** » Sun Jun 17, 2007 7:32 pm

The time varies depending on how long you were down etc.

Here is a rough guideline:

http://www.sabadeep.com/saba3.htm

CLguy · Post by **CLguy** » Sun Jun 17, 2007 7:59 pm

Pika nice avitar! They should put her with a big momma in the general population that would take care or her and wipe those tears away!!

Oh by the way don't try and pet the Moray Eels while diving. There is a reason they tell you not to try and pet them but if you don't listen, it may get you a low level medivac flight in a Twin Otter!!

Louis · Post by **Louis** » Sun Jun 17, 2007 8:39 pm

Hello,

Couldn't get the English version tonight (TC's site seems down) but had the French AIM in PDF version on my computer.

Their guidelines could be of interest depending on what you fly.

The translation and emphasis is my own:

TC AIM AIR 3.6 wrote:After dives without decompression stops, one must refrain from flying up to altitudes of 8000 feet ASL for 12 hours.

If decompression dives are necessary to return to the surface, time elapsed must be of at least 24 hours.

For flights above 8000 feet ASL, the interval is of 24 hours, no matter what type of dive, because pressurized aircraft can experience cabin pressurization failures.

While flying as a passenger is one thing, flying as a crew member in an aircraft after diving IMO needs a slightly more conservative approach, at least with regards to pressurized aircraft.

Having your cabin depressurize in the flight levels without having waited long enough would require you to deal with DCI on top of the aircraft's emergency... Not a good scenario.

So that makes at least five of us Avcanadians with some interest in scuba. Anyone else?

Goodbye,

Louis

(P.S. For those wondering I'm a PADI Open Water Diver with a few dives in my logbook)

wasYKnowFJ · Post by **wasYKnowFJ** » Mon Jun 18, 2007 4:27 pm

Of course it depends on a few factors; the depth of dive, how long after the dive, and how high the flight is. Flying someone after a recent dive can be accomplished safely if the altitude is kept low enough. We medivac the odd Bends case, and keep it below 500'. I've been told by experienced divers that anything below 3000' ASL is fine after a 50' dive. You wont get a published rule, but I think it's reasonable guideline. I wouldn't plan to get on a jet with less than 24 hours though.

SayAgain · Post by **SayAgain** » Mon Jun 18, 2007 4:52 pm

I think that using 24 hours regardless of depth is a safe rule. Except maybe if you were doing decompression stops.

Anyone have any clue as to what the guidelines would be if you were using nitrox? Do they change?

Hey wasYKnowFJ, I have to ask about your pic, where was it taken?

Walker · Post by **Walker** » Mon Jun 18, 2007 5:00 pm

I cant seem to find it at the moment, but I have seen decompression charts that allow you to calculate flights at different altitudes etc... I BELIEVE it is based off of the old Navy charts (which had a perpesity to bend 20% of people...)

86583 · Post by **86583** » Mon Jun 18, 2007 5:07 pm

same apply with nitrox......best not to screw around with the possibilty of getting bent...stick to the 24 hr rule....beer helps wash the nitrogen out of the blood as well

tofo · Post by **tofo** » Mon Jun 18, 2007 7:55 pm

what is fiji for 100 alex

P180 · Post by **P180** » Mon Jun 18, 2007 8:12 pm

aero220 wrote:Hi,

I am looking for current information on scuba diving and flying, Mainly the risk of it. If anyone has pertinent information, please share.

Thank you

Well if you have to fly on Monday don,t dive on Sunday.If you want to be safe us the 48 hour rule and you will not go wrong.But enjoy diving.I have flown for 32 years and also a diver for 40 and I have never had any problems.Enjoy

wasYKnowFJ · Post by **wasYKnowFJ** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 12:18 am

The pic was either YK (Yellowknife) or FJ (Fiji). It's anyone's guess which.

SayAgain · Post by **SayAgain** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 9:51 am

There are some nice beaches in the east arm but I am going to have to go with Fiji. Have you worked there?

Walker · Post by **Walker** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 9:56 am

K, found something on the topic here:
http://www.ndc.noaa.gov/pdfs/USNDeco3.pdf

SCUBA diving and flying

SCUBA diving and flying

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