22
FLYING AFTER DIVING
In 1990 the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society published a set of
guidelines aimed at minimizing the possibility of decompression sickness due
to flying too soon after diving. The UHMS suggests
1
divers using standard
air tanks and exhibiting no symptoms of decompression sickness wait 24
hours after their last dive to fly in aircraft with cabin pressures up to 8,000 ft.
The only two exceptions to this recommendation are:
1) If a diver had less than 2 hours total accumulated dive time in the last 48
hours, then a 12 hour surface interval before flying is recommended.
2) Following any dive that required a decompression stop, flying should be
delayed for at least 24 hours, and if possible, for 48 hours.
Since the introduction of the 1990 UHMS guidelines, data from the
Diver’s Alert Network (DAN) was introduced that resulted in DAN’s posi-
tion
2
that “A minimum surface interval of only 12 hours would be required in
order to be reasonably assured a diver will remain symptom free upon ascent
to altitude in a commercial jet airliner (altitude up to 8,000 ft.). Divers who
plan to make daily, multiple dives for several days, or make dives that require
decompression stops, should take special precautions and wait for an ex-
tended surface interval beyond 12 hours before flight.” Both the UHMS and
DAN agree that, “There can never be a flying after diving rule that is
guaranteed to prevent decompression sickness completely. Rather,
* excerpted from 1. UHMS Flying After Diving Workshop, and 2. DAN’s Current Position on Recreational Flying After Diving
Summary of Contents for DataMax Sport
Page 1: ...DataMax Sport owner s guide model DRB...
Page 5: ...THE DATAMAX SPORT IS EASY TO USE...
Page 13: ...DETAILED OPERATIONS GUIDE...
Page 29: ...HANDLING THE EXTREMES...
Page 42: ...38 this page intentionally left blank...
Page 43: ...CARE and MAINTENANCE...
Page 53: ...REFERENCE...
Page 59: ...NOTES...
