Minimum surface time before flying

[scubagrenada]

Hi,

I am trying go on a dive for 30-40min at 33ft and shallower. I know you are suppose to take 12hrs before flying, but I have a plane to catch later that day. Can someone who has more experience/knowledge let me know how long I should wait before flying?

Thank you

 

[herbdb]

I think you are trying to cut into what many consider an absolute minimum time between diving and flying.

If you did a poll, I suspect you would find that most of us use 24 hours dive to fly.

I think you should rebook your flight.

 

[Notso_Ken]

Hi,

I am trying go on a dive for 30-40min at 33ft and shallower. I know you are suppose to take 12hrs before flying, but I have a plane to catch later that day. Can someone who has more experience/knowledge let me know how long I should wait before flying?

Thank you

12 hours. can the dive, or catch a later flight.

 

[Mr Carcharodon]

Well which expert do you want to believe. Bulhmann's model would say your good to go right away. DAN will say wait 12 hours based on a set of assumptions that at best partially apply. Others would say wait 24 hours. Waiting several hours seem prudent (what I would do). But who's to say if your an outlier. Deep and repetitive dive really should push you to the conservative end of the spectrum.

 

[warmwaterturner]

24 hours always. Nothing better than getting bent on a long flight.....

 

[Bubbletrubble]

On a dive vacation, I always plan a 24 hr. non-diving interval between my last dive and return flight.

The dive that you propose sounds fairly benign, but there's more to it than that. For instance, how nitrogen-loaded do you plan to be before doing that shallow dive?

BTW, which instructional agency informed you that waiting 12 hours was sufficient?

 

[Jim Lapenta]

When I certed ow with PADI it was 12 hours for a single dive. I always advise my students 24 hours because it is not an exact science. Other factors can come into play. Hydration, cold, age, etc. Not worth taking chances.

 

[mselenaous]

This is the stuff TV episode of House was made of: House MD Episodes: Season 3 #318 "Airborne"

Seriously, the recommended minimum is just that, the minimum. I agree with the other posters. For my own personal safety, I add at least a few more hours to that minimum. If you can't do it, can the dive or schedule another flight.

 

[Ontwreckdiver]

I always wait 24 hours after a dive trip

 

[fdog]

Read this:

2002 Flying After Diving Workshop


...and make an informed decision.


Personally, if it was this one single dive (with none the day prior) I'd use the NOAA Ascent to Altitude Tables, and the NOAA Air Tables.

Given your potential profile of 40' for 40 minutes, these tables would have you as a "E" diver. Since these tables are based on the USN tables and are not known for their conservatism, I'd add two stops, making you a "G" diver.

This means, as a "G" diver, you should wait 12 hours and 5 minutes until ascending to altitude.

Alternatively, I would feel pretty confident in breathing a nice rich nitrox mix, and only adding a single extra pressure group. This would make me a "F" diver, and I could fly after a measly 9 hours and 43 minutes.

...or just wait 12 hours. Getting bent on a long airplane flight would be no fun I'd imagine.


All the best, James