Scubapro Pilot

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bnelson

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Does anyone have any information on Scubapro Pilot second stage regulators?

Anyone know of anyone who can service them?

Any fun trivia tidbits?

Any information at all would be cool :)
 
The US Navy Experimental Diving Unit tested the Pilot at 1800 feet where it adequately supported 6 divers during Deep Dive '79.

As second stages go it is incredibly complex and was a difficult second stage for many techs to service and to tune especially if they only did one or two per year. Manufacturing was also difficult due to the need for rigorous quailty control and the difficulty of maintaining consistent parts production so it went out of production in 1979 after only a 3 year run.

The Pilot is one of the few second stages that Scubapro no longer provides parts support for (the other one being the first generation Air 2.) I suspect this is due to relatively low production numbers, quality control issues in manufacturing replacement parts and the training and liability issues of maintaining techs who are competent to service it. Parts are consequently very hard to find as the only ones around will have had to have sat on a dealer's shelf for several years. Finding a tech with any recent experience servicing a pilot is even harder.
 
Internet rumor has it that Austin Aqua Sports managed to come up with a small supply of spare parts for pilots. I sent them an email about it(my Dad still has his pilot) and I got this reply:

"There are so few pilots out there that are still working, that parts are hard to come by. We do have some parts, but depending on what you need, will determine what we can do you you."

So its a good solid maybe.

Chris
 
ChrisJones:
Internet rumor has it that Austin Aqua Sports managed to come up with a small supply of spare parts for pilots. I sent them an email about it(my Dad still has his pilot) and I got this reply:

Cool, do you happen to have the contact information for them?

I have a Pilot, and it's still working great, but in the event that I need to have it serviced, I'd like to have a couple places I can look to.

Thanks
 
I don't know a damn thing about them other than that Scubapro no longer makes parts for them. However the head teach at my LDS bought one as his first regulator in the mid-70s and claims it is the best reg ever made.

DA Aquamaster:
I just wanted to say that your posts are some of the most informative on this site so thanks for all the great info.
 
Whats a good Pilot worth these days?

Also what !st stage were they sold with?
 
One recently sold on ebay for about $300....looked mint with was not upgraded to Air 1 (flat head).
I've seen them paired with 5's and 7's.
 
Contact,
George Perez c/o
Sea Divers
246 S. Merrick Ave
Ozark Alabama 36360
1-334-774-3483

George is the definitive answer on the sb pilot as he was involved in the original project.

Just remember, everything you have read previous is true regarding parts and service.

At present, I own four and dive one that George has rebuilt, and can tell you without fear of contradiction, the pilot has some idio synchronizes that are unique unto itself, that ultimately lead to it's demise.

But I can also tell you without fear of contradiction, it is the closest thing to natural inhalation you have ever tried. And I am basing this on all the other sp regs I have owned including the new a700, as well as other brands of regs.

As well as a cracking res of .4.
 
Contact,
George Perez c/o
Sea Divers
246 S. Merrick Ave
Ozark Alabama 36360
1-334-774-3483

George is the definitive answer on the sb pilot as he was involved in the original project.

Just remember, everything you have read previous is true regarding parts and service.

At present, I own four and dive one that George has rebuilt, and can tell you without fear of contradiction, the pilot has some idio synchronizes that are unique unto itself, that ultimately lead to it's demise.

But I can also tell you without fear of contradiction, it is the closest thing to natural inhalation you have ever tried. And I am basing this on all the other sp regs I have owned including the new a700, as well as other brands of regs.

As well as a cracking res of .4.

Great info just what the OP asked for, wonder where he went? He doesn't seem to appreciate the info.:confused:
 
Great info just what the OP asked for, wonder where he went? He doesn't seem to appreciate the info.:confused:

HA HA HA! What are you gonna do? The sp pilot is a very complicated reg.

The sp pilot is the result of a mit students thesis. I was told that when sp picked it up ( I suspect Healthways may have originally produced it ) the engineer in charge had to go with the regulator. Of course, this is just rumor.

Imagine loosing part numbers,
11-128-132, or
11-128-117, or
11-128-115.

These are very small pieces, that if lost or damaged, the reg has to be put out of service, unless you can find replacements. I do not believe this is the type of reg you want to field strip on board a rolling ship. Of course when the rebuild kits were available, that made life a whole hell of a lot easier. But then there is the matter of tuning the pilot. Getting a reg to work, or getting it to work to it's fullest potential are two different things. I will be perfectly honest, I can rebuild one, but I lack the proper equipment to tune one. And I also believe it is something you have to do all the time, so as to keep your hand in it.

Right now,I have one on my bench out of service simply because sp part number 01-020-113 broke.

That number refers to a small spring about the size that would go on a ball point pen.
Upon inspection, I took the spring and rolled it between my fingers, and it broke in half.

Technically, I am glad it happened then, and not in the reg while it was being dove.

To have one as a collectors piece is one thing. I believe there is a white cover proto type on Ebay right now for over a thousand dollars. And this is just the second stage.

To dive one is a different story.:)
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/peregrine/

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