flying after diving...

[SilverFStop]

hey gang - long time reader, first time poster!

anyhow, i have a friend who is an avid diver and pilot. we were talking about flying to catalina in his cessna 180 for an afternoon of diving. the quesition is, if we fly back at 3000 feet, are we in danger of the nitrogen coming out of solution, or are we still safe?

if it matters, the flight would last about 40 minutes.

thanks!

-Sterling

 

[String]

How long after diving would the flying be? Can you guarantee a maximum altitude?

Not sure about padi or other tables but you could quite easily work this one out with the altitude/atmospheric transfer charts with my tables.

Its possible but more detail needed than you gave.

 

[DandyDon]

Have you ever been to the Santa Catalina Is airport...? :11:

This general question comes up at least once a month on Dr Deco's forum, so you can find extensive discussion there about traveling to such altitudes after diving.

But don't do it. You don't list you location on your profile, but if you're anywhere close to Long Beach, take the fast ferry and arrive at the boat dock that both Avalon operators use - instead of up top of the mountain in need of a cab to take you down, and another to take you back.

Oh and welcome to ScubaBoard.com. Drop in and post on Introductions so we can welcome you appropriately.

 

[radinator]

I fly and dive and live in the LA area, and I've considered it, but not as you are describing.

I would not fly between the mainland and Catalina with a single-engine unless I could get about 8500 feet altitude at the midpoint, just in case. This is from my habit of always having a landable field within gliding distance. So far all of my landings (both with and without engine) have been successful, so the practice seems to work.

Go to Catalina, do the dive, but make a weekend of it so you have sufficient time to offgas before the return trip.

 

[BigJetDriver]

Look in the NOAA DIVING MANUAL for one of the better Flying After Diving (FAD) charts for a safe interval for that altitude.