Diving AFTER Flying

[BlairJ007]

I am new and working on getting certified so maybe my question is stupid, but can you fly after diving?

 

[Doc Harry]

I am new and working on getting certified so maybe my question is stupid, but can you fly after diving?

It's a good question, and something that will be covered in detail during your training.

Yes, you can fly and diving, but there are some very important precautions and restrictions. And the problem is still being researched, so the recommendations are always being reviewed. There will never be a definitive study to determine the exact limits of flying after diving, because it would be unethical to deliberately give test subject decompression illness during the study. So for now the expert gather periodically and review anectodal evidence and make their recommendations.

Flying always involves climbing to altitude and an environment of reduced pressure. Flying is just like ascending from a dive, except the pressure gradients are different. So you can get decompression illness by flying after a dive, just like you can get decompression illness by ascending from a dive. You are going from a higher pressure to a lower pressure, and bubbles can form.

So it is recommended that you avoid flying after diving until you have "off gassed." The current recommendations are to wait at least 12 hours after a single no-compression dive, and at least 18 hours after repetitive no-decompression dives.

Here are some interesting links:

http://www.diversalertnetwork.org/medical/articles/article.asp?articleid=20

http://www.diversalertnetwork.org/research/projects/fad/index.asp

http://www.diversalertnetwork.org/medical/faq/faq.aspx?faqid=54

 

[AbyssalPlains]

No issues as far as pressure is concerned. Think about it: As soon as the cabin pressure increases in after landing, it's like you're going on a shallow dive. According to wikipedia, "At a cruising altitude of 12,000 metres (39,000 ft), a Boeing 767's cabin will be pressurized to an altitude of 2,100 metres (6,900 ft)." The cabin pressure is 0.78 atmospheres. So landing in that airplane is essentially increasing your ambient pressure to 1 atmosphere, provided you land more or less at sea level.

You can think of this as doing a dive where your ambient pressure increases by the same amount, 0.22 atmospheres. Therefore, as far as nitrogen saturation in your tissues is concerned, descending in an airplane to sea level is the same as doing a dive at sea level to a depth of 2.2 meters. (Remember that water pressure increases by one atmosphere for every ten meters.) Conversely, you can think of boarding and ascending in an airplane as doing a really loooooong dive at the bottom of a 6-ft swimming pool and ascending to the surface. But the point is that unlike flying AFTER diving, where excess nitrogen is released from your tissues and can potentially form bubbles, flying BEFORE diving is like descending during a dive. Nitrogen is forced INTO your tissues, not coming OUT of your tissues. That is also the reason why you can descend as fast as you like on any given dive but coming up is where you have to watch your speed. I hope this makes sense.

As for the hydration issue, I heard from a DAN physician that the latest scientific evidence actually points to slight dehydration DECREASING the risk of DCI. The jury is still out on that and more conclusive data are needed, but according to that source, there is absolutely no data whatsoever to support our notion that being dehydrated increases risk of DCI. We all preach this amongst ourselves, myself included, but apparently there are not actual data to back up that claim. I still like to be well hydrated before diving because I simply feel better that way.

Enjoy your trip!

 

[Indian Valley Scuba]

OK help me here, I love to learn. How exactly does the flying aspect tie into the altitude dive? Seems like two separate matters here.

 

[fdog]

I am new and working on getting certified so maybe my question is stupid, but can you fly after diving?

Why, yes you can.

...With a few constraints, such as altitude and time to fly. Read this with a large cup of coffee: 2002 Flying After Diving Workshop.


All the best, James

 

[seaducer]

I always try to plan my vacations so that I land early enough to dive that day. If you are properly hydrated before you get on the plane and the flight is of typical length there should not even be a problem caused by the dry air on board either. If you are traveling 6 or more hours I would take care to drink plenty of water or sports drink though.

There is one dive computer, I believe the Cochran computer that gives you credit for flying, though I think in reality on off gassing you do on the plane is probably minimal at best.

 

[BlairJ007]

Thank you Harry, James! I appreciate the input. I will check that out that workshop.

 

[windapp]

I would think that diving while jet-lagged wouldn't be a good idea. Then again, neither is driving but you have to get to the hotel somehow. Also, remember that any alcohol you drink on the plane still counts even though you didn't drink it on the surface of the earth

 

[Doc Harry]

OK help me here, I love to learn. How exactly does the flying aspect tie into the altitude dive? Seems like two separate matters here.

They are two completely separate matters. It's just that you cannot say that, across the board, there's never any problem with diving after flying.

It doesn't matter if you've flown, bicycled or drove to altitude. The issue is that, if you've gone to altitude, you've got some other factors to consider before you jump in the water.

Like I said, it's a technicality. You wouldn't want someone flying to Lake Tahoe and jumping into the water without considering altitude issues just because someone on ScubaBoard said that "There aren't any issues with diving after flying."

Sorry, I didn't mean to complicate matters.

 

[fjpatrum]

Thanks for all the input folks! Like I said, I didn't remember anything that would contraindicate diving after flying. On top of that max depth is about 20 fsw or so. The only real reason I'm doing it is it will be the only "daylight" time I have free to dive this particular site (Blue Heron Bridge) and I've been really stoked to dive there. I'm also planning a night dive later in the week.

EDIT PS: Search function seems to be working now, too. Woohoo.