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Flying after Diving

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What are the dangers of SCUBA diving & airplane travel?




 

How long do I have to wait before flying after diving?

The concerns of heading to altitude too soon after diving are the same as those when you ascend from your dive too quickly because the same scientific principles apply: Going to altitude takes you to an area of lower outside pressure, meaning residual nitrogen still dissolved in your blood can come out of solution as bubbles if the ascent isn't slow enough to let your body off-gas. This is why it's so important to ensure you've off-gassed any nitrogen in your system before going to altitude. The more diving you do, the more residual nitrogen you'll amass, so the amount of time you should wait relates directly to the type of diving and how many dives you make in a given period of time.

We recommend waiting at least 24 hours before flying after diving--better safe than sorry--but if that's not possible, the following shows the minimum guidelines for different diving circumstances, based on flying in commercial aircraft.

     •     A single dive within recreational limits: 12 hours

     •     Multiple days/multiple recreational dives: 18 hours

     •     Decompression diving (planned or unplanned): 24 to 48 hours


These guidelines are not infallible, and they apply only to divers who haven't experienced any DCS symptoms. If you've experienced DCS symptoms during your dive trip, don't fly at all. Instead, call DAN's emergency hotline (919-684-4DAN) immediately, and get checked out by a doctor familiar with diving.

Just as we are taught not to "push the tables" in reference to our bottom times, don't "push the recommendations" when it comes to your diving and flying interval. Leaving time between your last dive and your flight home is part of dive planning, and it's a part you should take seriously.


Can I dive immediately after flying?

Sometimes. But if you don't, it won't be for nitrogen-related reasons. There are no set guidelines for when to make your first dive. The issue here is fitness. Air travel can leave divers mildly dehydrated, fatigued, improperly nourished and generally stressed. Long-distance travel compounds the problem; the more time zones you cross, the more these factors affect your general condition. And the more you are affected, the more you need to factor this into your early dive planning.

Do this by building some pre-dive flight recovery time into your travel plans, allowing you to rehydrate, rest and eat. Dehydration is thought to contribute to DCS risk, so it's critically important not to start diving with a hydration deficit. Fatigue can also be a performance and safety issue--if you're tired or lacking energy, you might not respond normally to strenuous or emergency circumstances--so make sure you're well rested.

Of course, if you're traveling on a shorter flight and you arrive at your destination rested, hydrated and properly nourished, then diving may be possible. You need to assess your condition honestly and objectively. It isn't worth compromising your safety--or ruining your whole trip--because you're in a hurry to make the first dive.



~Courtesy DAN (Divers Alert Network)

    From the May, 2008 issue of Scuba Diving Magazine. Topic #3: Flying and Diving

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What is DAN?

Divers Alert Network (DAN) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit medical and research organization dedicated to the safety and health of recreational scuba divers. 


For diving emergencies, call the DAN 24-Hour Diving Emergency Hotline: (919) 684-4DAN (collect calls accepted).

For nonemergency questions, call the DAN Medical Information Line at (919) 684-2948.

Additional information can be found at www.diversalertnetwork.org



We Highly Recommend DAN Membership and Dive Insurance for all our divers.  Contact us for more information and the instructor/reference code for membership and insurance or check the DAN website for information.