How soon you can fly after drowning?

Answer 1

As far as I know, there is no problem with going Scuba diving straight after flying. This is because when you descnd in a plane and then in the water, you are "on-gassing" and your body is absorbing nitrogen. This is not unsafe. The problem comes with flying after diving. This is where you are "off-gassing" and letting the nitrogen leave your body. You need to allow sufficient time for the nitrogen to completely disperse before flying so as to not give the risk of decompression illness. With relation to the time in this instance, it depends on the dive you are doing. I would recommend using a dive computer if you are doing deep and/or multiple dives. However, I would recommend a "safe" limit of at least 24 hours. Each dive training body will have their own advice on a "safe" time limit.


Hope this helps. If not, drop me a message!
24 Hours after last dive.

Answer 2

It is up for debate, but there are some studies that have shown divers are more likely to get decompression sickness after a plane trip. The thinking is that they become dehydrated on the plane trip - which is a contributing factor to DCI. Another possibility is that the reduction in cabin pressure is enough to generate some small asymptomatic bubbling as the 8,000' cabin pressure may be just past the threshold to cause bubbling.

Answer 3

It is a good idea to wait at least 12 hours (some people recommend longer, especially for deep dives) before boarding an aircraft.

Even pressured aircraft have an 'altitude' of approximately 8,000 feet, and this will cause more rapid off-gassing of dissolved nitrogen, and expose you to a greater risk of decompression sickness.

Answer 4

Strictly speaking, it depeds how high it will fly. If it stays below 2,000 feet, no reason to wait any length of time at all.

If it will ascend to 8,000 feet (big helicopter) then protocols say you ought to wait at least 12 hours.

Don't think there are any established protocols for the middle ground (i.e. 2,000 - 8,000 range).

Answer 5

It is recommended that you wait 24 hours after scuba diving before you fly.

Here is a passage from http://www.underwaterdivingequipment.com/scuba-diving-and-flying.html :

"Expert sources disagree about how long you should wait before you fly. The US Navy says that 2 hours is all you need; the US Air Force says you should wait 24 hours and the Diver's Alert Network (DAN) says 12 hours is okay. But who's right?

When it comes down to it, it's all about risk. Could you fly 2 hours after you dive? Yes.

Could you fly 12 hours after you dive? Yes.

Is it more dangerous to fly 2 hours after you dive than it is to fly 12 hours after you dive? Yes. Personally, I wait at least 24 hours after my last dive before flying."

Addition

DAN's current recommendations are to wait a minimum of 18 hours after repetitive dives or multiple day dives and 12 hours after a single dive.

Answer 6

Scuba divers retain nitrogen dissolved in their body from breathing air at high pressures. If the pressure changes too fast the nitrogen comes out of the liquid phase and forms gas bubbles in the joints and blood. This is called "the bends".

it can happen if they ascend from the depth of the water too quickly. When you fly in a plane you are under even less pressure and this can trigger it as well. During the "no fly" period the excess nitrogen leaves the body at a safe rate and makes it safe to fly.

Answer 7

Check out Divers Alert Network Medical FAQs: http://www.diversalertnetwork.org/medical/faq/faq.asp?faqid=54