Diving and flying on a little puddle jumper

[JRRKAR]

My wife and I are considering a trip to Belize. We would be staying for three nights in San Pedro and then flying on Tropic Air (a small puddle jumper) to Placencia. I know the debate on the 12 hour and 24 hour rule for diving and then flying. But my question deals with flying at a low altitude (small plane) after diving. Is there an altitude limit for this debate? That is...if your flying less than 3,000 feet, then there is really no concern about flying after diving?

We want to make the most of a vacation, but also want to be safe.

 

[DocVikingo]

Made that hop myself on a few occasions. Ask to sit in the usually empty co-pilot seat for a nifty view.

Here's the rules of thumb that I go by on such flights:

http://www.ndc.noaa.gov/dp_forms.html

Go the NOAA Ascent After Diving & equivalent US Navy sections for a flexible way of handling this situation.

Of course, this is not what DAN, in its typically conservative position, would recommend.

The decision is yours.

Have fun.

DocVikingo

 

[basia]

Hi there,

My boyfriend and I are planning a similar trip to Belize, and I have just read DocVikingos replies. We'll be diving for 2 days after we arrive, and take the 3rd day to lgo hiking and take a break before our flight. You can definitely dive after landing. That is not the problem. the problem lies with flying after diving. If by any chance you have an airbubble in your body after diving, it might just clear by itsself, and you wont notice it. if you fly however, you only increase the danger of something happening. Here's an abstract from a medical site. I have many friends who dive all over the world, and we have all always waited 24 hours before flying. Why risk it? To describe this as conservative is really dangerous I think. You only need to have a problem once.

Here's the exert:
What are the dangers of SCUBA diving & airplane travel?
SCUBA diving exposes your lungs to a high pressure environment, whereas airplane travel is a low pressure environment. Your lungs undergo a dramatic change in pressure when going between these two extremes. The bigger the change in pressure the greater the risk for arterial gas embolism. The best thing you can do to avoid this is to leave at least a 24 hour period between your last dive and the time you board the airplane for your flight home.
Many avid divers who want to maximize their dive time are tempted to schedule their flight home in the evening, to get in one last morning dive -- you should avoid this! Your last day in the islands should be spent re-acclimating to sea level pressures.
This will also give you and your companions time to observe you for the symptoms of arterial gas embolism. If you manifest any symptoms, such as lightheadedness, dizziness, mental confusion, numbness or tingling or sensory disturbances of any kind, you should be brought to a re-compression chamber. Under these circumstances, the last thing you need is to be up in a plane.

So take it easy on you last day in the islands, and avoid the temptation of diving on the day of your airplane departure.

 

[DocVikingo]

Yes, I found the website from which you quoted. Personally, I did not think it especially well written.

Yes, stats do vary, although I am not aware of any from anywhere in the world that array injuries based on the days of a dive trip other than for DAN's.

In any event, if you are aware of any better quality figures than those put out annually in DAN's "Report on Decompression Illness, Diving Fatalities and Project Dive Exploration," I'd much appreciate a reference.

Best regards.

DocVikingo