To the pilots out there.......Flying 2 hrs after diving, but only to 1500 ft. OK?

Going to be flying myself to the Bahamas next June or July and the islands that I most want to dive are not the islands that I most like to visit topside. For that reason, I want to fly 50-100 miles or so to these islands.

Once there I would do 2 tanks on air (1st dive to perhaps 80' for 25 min, 45 min SI, and then 40' for 50 min) and then fly back that afternoon to enjoy the beach on the island where I will be staying.

Since I'd be flying over flat terrain (obviously) as well as in totally uncontrolled airspace as the pilot in command, I would not only have complete control over what altitude I fly at, but also can climb slowly (200-300 ft per min) up to altitude. Obviously, since my Cessna 172 is not pressurized, no need to worry about rapid decompression either

I can comfortably make the return flight at 1000-1500 ft above the water, and could even fly it as low as 500 ft if needed.

Some have said that there is no problem ascending as high as 2000 ft right after diving where as others have said this unwise.

Is this an ACCEPTABLE risk in your opinion? Not a ZERO risk, but an acceptable one?

To the guys who dive in Hawaii or the Rockies, how long of a surface interval do you use before you will increase your ceiling by 3000' (for example) before driving up a pass to get home?

You might check the following: www.ndc.noaa.gov/pdfs/AscentToAltitudeTable. Very much depends on your repetitive group following dives. However, as a retired military and commercial pilot, I would recommend you think twice about your decision. Getting bent while trying to fly a plane is an accident in the making.

2000 foot altitude is about 1.1 psi less than sea level or about 2 foot of water. I'm not a pilot, but I have been "chopper diving" without giving consideration at such a low altitude. Right out of the water, onto the chopper and onto the next spot. By the time you get back to the marina, collect your gear and get to the airport, you would have a 2 hour or so surface interval.

OkByMe:

I have been "chopper diving" without giving consideration at such a low altitude. Right out of the water, onto the chopper and onto the next spot. By the time you get back to the marina, collect your gear and get to the airport, you would have a 2 hour or so surface interval.

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What altitude was your helicopter at, and for how long?

Tortuga68:

What altitude was your helicopter at, and for how long?

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Under a 1000ft and 15 to 20 minutes dive time, depths to 60ft. 10 to 15 minutes travel time. Working traps.

Forgot to mention.. time out and back about an hour each way.

I would be okay with doing that, I think it's a little different to the OP though

He is going to be diving deeper on air.. I would pitch some 36% to minimize the Nitrogen loading. I was using 36% and going through 4 to 5 tanks a day. I also used the dive computer to track residuals. My problem was getting close to the total oxygen exposure.

OkByMe:

He is going to be diving deeper on air.. I would pitch some 36% to minimize the Nitrogen loading. I was using 36% and going through 4 to 5 tanks a day. I also used the dive computer to track residuals. My problem was getting close to the total oxygen exposure.

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I should be more specific and say that I'll be diving 2 tanks each day and will be at a maximum of 1/2 my NDL at the end of my 2nd dive. I know this since when I did 4 tanks/day in Bonaire with my computer I was running about 1/2 NDL after the last dive of the day, and this of course would be more conservative.

The 80' for 25 min that I gave earlier would be my max depth, not average depth which would prob be at least 30% less than my max depth. Unfort, only air is available at the islands I would be diving on.

nevermind

jkyle:

im no expert but what if he treated it like an altitude dive? with the flight altitude as the dive altitude?

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Recommended rule for altitude diving is that you still wait the proper 12-18 hours. Just because you ascend to altitude higher after a dive and 6 hours clears you on tables it still isn't an accepted practice and doesn't count for flying after diving.