Counting down the days to Maui

[finluca]

If we finish our dive on Friday before 10AM then we'll have 24 hours before the flight to Hilo on Saturday. That seems to be plenty of time.

 

[KrisB]

IMHO, no prudent and responsible instructor would imply that flying commercial jets less than 12 hrs after diving is safe! Dr. KrisB is not a dive doctor and evidently not a prudent and responsible instructor so please do not follow his flying after diving recommendation.

Well, considering *several* course directors and the Instructor Examiners had no problem suggesting that an inter-island flight approximately 5-6 hours after exiting the water from a 1-hour 20' dive was appropriate... and desat time on at least one of the computers present had counted to zero... of course, your mileage may vary and I'm not *recommending* this, but saying it has been done safely.

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

I'm not *recommending* this, but saying it has been done safely.

IE's & CD's flying early, that's the answer!:shakehead

Permanent cumulative brain damage among Instructor Examiners and Course Directors could be why so many shouldn't be's are now instructors.

Are you sure it's been done safely? I rather think successfully to your limited knowledge.

I'd do a shallow dive 8-12 hours before flying

So, as an easily identifiable instructor/doctor the statement above does not constitute a recommendation. Hopefully everyone reading your posts is so attentive to the between the lines details.

 

[blesi varney]

If we finish our dive on Friday before 10AM then we'll have 24 hours before the flight to Hilo on Saturday. That seems to be plenty of time.

Yes, 24 hours is very , very good. At least, that's what I would do.

 

[KrisB]

IE's & CD's flying early, that's the answer!:shakehead

Permanent cumulative brain damage among Instructor Examiners and Course Directors could be why so many shouldn't be's are now instructors.

Are you sure it's been done safely? I rather think successfully to your limited knowledge.



So, as an easily identifiable instructor/doctor the statement above does not constitute a recommendation. Hopefully everyone reading your posts is so attentive to the between the lines details.

"doctorkb" is a nickname I've had for quite some time. Furthermore, construing it to mean anymore than an individual with advanced knowledge or education in *some* subject is your *own* problem... I've never claimed to be an MD.

And what I'd do and what I'd "recommend" doing are different. Am I going to deride an individual for doing the same as I would? No. Am I going to suggest it? I don't think so. This comes back to a similar issue that I have with a local DM. Do I suggest my divers take sudafed to help congestion? No. Do I present it as an option if they are seriously having trouble? Yes, but with the caveat that they need to do the research, consult a doctor or pharmacist and then make their own decision.

Much like this thread -- I'm saying what I'm ok doing, and what has not produced issues for me & my friends. It is up to the certified diver to do the research (here's a start -- DAN and PADI current recommendations). Also note Wildcard's recent post to the extent of "when you consider what navy divers do, and what instructors/dm's do, both on a regular basis with few instances of DCS, you realize how safe those PADI tables really are."

I realize the recommendation is 12-18 hours. But if you remember your decompression theory from both your DM and IDC courses, you'll remember that the system is based on tissue "compartments" -- some are "fast" others are "slow" -- would it not stand to reason that the amount of time between desaturation (safe fly time) have *something* to do with the same theory that determines your surface interval credit, etc.?

As has been posted here before -- it is quite some time between when a commercial aircraft is scheduled to depart and when you are "at altitude". That buys *at least* another half hour, if not an hour or two, depending on destination.

Before jumping down my throat for not having thoroughly itemized my comments, please consider thinking through these things rather than just towing the company line of "no fly for 24 hours" (which, by the way, is part of my DSD briefing...)

 

[DiveMaven]

I follow the 24 hour rule religiously. Personally, I'd rather be safe than sorry, but everyone has to make their own decision about how much risk they are willing to assume.

 

[Charlie99]

There have been real studies done, and the 12 hour SI after a single NDL dive, 18 hour SI before flying after repetive dives NDL dives do have info to back them up.

24 hours is better than 18, but just as with 48 hours vs 24 hours, you are getting into diminishing returns.

For the typical 2 tank Molikini trip where you are out of the water before noon, a 10AM flight the next morning is a good solid 22 hours SI. I'd do it without any hesitation.


This post has some info on how 18 hours was chosen instead of the 17 hour SI actually tested (short version: "never make a recommendation that is a prime number "), and has links to the DAN FAD conference paper.

 

[Al Mialkovsky]

Less than 12 hours is foolish, I stay with a minimum of 18 and Kris, why break the rules? Because someone got away with it?

 

[Shaka Doug]

 

[Al Mialkovsky]

yeah I know Doug