shallow-dive wait-time before flying

[Walt Allensworth]

How long should I wait before flying if I'm only diving at very shallow depths?
The reason I ask this is I'm trying to squeeze in a dive job between flights, and this situation might arise.

Details: I may need to do some rigging in a pool for 3-4 hours at shallow depths - mostly around 6 feet, but perhaps some at 12-18 feet. About 1/2 the time will be on SCUBA, and the other half on the surface. Typically we'll use 80-100 cu-ft of air during this job.

After consulting the dive tables I see that there is little data for such shallow depths.

I see that the no-stop dive times for such shallow depths are essentially unlimited, but this of course doesn't mean that there is no nitrogen build up in your body.

So, I know, I know... be safe, don't do it, wait 12-24 hours. That's the lawyer answer.

But from a practical perspective, I'd actually like to know the actual answer.

If I do such a shallow dive, is 8-hours a long enough wait time before I fly?

 

[redacted]

How long should I wait before flying if I'm only diving at very shallow depths?
The reason I ask this is I'm trying to squeeze in a dive job between flights, and this situation might arise.

Details: I may need to do some rigging in a pool for 3-4 hours at shallow depths - mostly around 6 feet, but perhaps some at 12-18 feet. About 1/2 the time will be on SCUBA, and the other half on the surface. Typically we'll use 80-100 cu-ft of air during this job.

After consulting the dive tables I see that there is little data for such shallow depths.

I see that the no-stop dive times for such shallow depths are essentially unlimited, but this of course doesn't mean that there is no nitrogen build up in your body.

So, I know, I know... be safe, don't do it, wait 12-24 hours. That's the lawyer answer.

But from a practical perspective, I'd actually like to know the actual answer.

If I do such a shallow dive, is 8-hours a long enough wait time before I fly?

I think I would drop a dive computer that does dsat in the deep end for 6 hours and see what it says. I would expect no problem.

 

[tursiops]

MultiDeco says you can stay at 20 ft for 240 mins on air, need no deco, and can do Dive #2 at 8000 ft altitude.

OTOH, I sign a policy at the Aquarium I volunteer at that says I will not dive for 24h before flying. Our max depth is 13 ft.

Gut feeling is that you'll be OK. But you should trust YOUR gut, not mine.

 

[DogDiver]

WWDS........ what would DAN say

 

[tursiops]

I think I would drop a dive computer that does dsat in the deep end for 6 hours and see what it says. I would expect no problem.

Good idea, just don't use a computer that simply puts in a 24h timer post dive!

 

[BoltSnap]

be safe, don't do it, wait 12-24 hours. That's the lawyer answer.

And you actually expect educated and reasonable people who are experts in this matter will just set aside the safety rules and lawyers advice and all experts' statements and give you advice that go against all that????????????????

 

[oldschoolto]

And you actually expect educated and reasonable people who are experts in this matter will just set aside the safety rules and lawyers advice and all experts' statements and give you advice that go against all that????????????????

Yes....

Jim..

 

[iamrushman]

another question is how long is the flight...?

 

[oldschoolto]

The real trouble is only if the aircraft would lose Pressure....

Jim...

 

[Lorenzoid]

. . . Details: I may need to do some rigging in a pool for 3-4 hours at shallow depths - mostly around 6 feet, but perhaps some at 12-18 feet. . . .
. . .
If I do such a shallow dive, is 8-hours a long enough wait time before I fly?

There is no "actual answer," since the dive tables/algorithms aren't built to handle these parameters and/or they haven't been thoroughly tested with these parameters. It isn't clear how far the tables/algorithms can be extrapolated. Others have given some reasoned replies.

I wouldn't hesitate to fly after an 8-hour surface interval after a 3-hour dive to an average depth of 10 or so feet. But that's just me.