Old PADI dive tables vs Newer PADI RDP

[Eric Sedletzky]

I just recently acquired an old PADI dive table from a friend.
I didn't realize there were two versions of PADI dive tables?

Study the charts and look at some of the differences.

What made them change it to the RDP?
I'm assuming to soften it up for the new target market they were shooting for.
It looks to me like the old tables were a cross over from USN tables.

 

[fisheater]

As I recall the story, PADI, through its DSAT subsidiary, came up with Recreational Dive Planner, because it believed that the USN dive tables were I'll-suited for purely recreational dives. The RDP uses different washout assumptions, so it comes up with dive times that are longer, but still within expectations for recreational diving.


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[oly5050user]

old table based on 120 minute half time..
new rdp based on 60 minute half time.. shorter 1st dive but allows longer rept dives..

 

[Lemna]

Thanks ZKY! I added this to the comparison spreadsheet.

Have you got any other of those older tables?

 

[knotical]

Thanks ZKY! I added this to the comparison spreadsheet.

Have you got any other of those older tables?

Thanks for the spread sheet.

You can see HUGI tables here: http://dornsife.usc.edu/hyperbaric/documents/hugi.pdf

 

[Lemna]

Added. Thanks, knotical!

 

[Walter]

PADI adopted the RDP in the late 80s. Prior to that they used the US Navy tables.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

PADI adopted the RDP in the late 80s. Prior to that they used the US Navy tables.

Looks like the RDP has a copyright date beginning in 1985 with several other dates to follow, and the old table has a date of 1981.

 

[Walter]

The RDP may have been developed in the mid 80s, but it was a couple of years later that PADI adopted and started selling it. The was an ABC news segment on it (20/20 if memory serves) around 1988 or 89 (I'm fairly sure it was 89) by John Stossel.

 

[FinnWithFins]

If you get bored with calculating still with tables, it could be good time to acquire next generation diveplanning tools, which are fully graphical and working in real time. Worked for me at least nicely as quick check when attending dive trips where some else making the plans.
Check out for example: DiveX