Traveling with Gauges

[scubacat80]

Is it safe for scuba gauges to be in checked luggage when flying.

I am thinking that since the storage on the plane is not pressurized, it might screw up or change the accuracy on either a depth or pressure gauge.

Any thoughts? Thanks in advance!

[ChrisA]

Originally Posted by scubacat80

Is it safe for scuba gauges to be in checked luggage when flying.

I am thinking that since the storage on the plane is not pressurized, it might screw up or change the accuracy on either a depth or pressure gauge.

Any thoughts? Thanks in advance!

No problems. If you think about it the difference in pressure between sea level and the moon is the same is the difference between sea level and 33 FSW. Normal diving put more stree in the equipment than if yu took them up to a vacuum. But......

Are you sure the bottom of the plane is unpressurized? If so then that is one heck of a strong floor in the cabin. Notice that the plan is round and long like a scuba tank. Both are desided to hold pressure. I doubt the cabin floor is even air tight.

[terrillja]

Originally Posted by scubacat80

Is it safe for scuba gauges to be in checked luggage when flying.

I am thinking that since the storage on the plane is not pressurized, it might screw up or change the accuracy on either a depth or pressure gauge.

Any thoughts? Thanks in advance!

I'll split it into 2 parts
1) Safe, sure, I carry my reg on though just so I know it won't get damaged or lost.

2a)Depth gauge- I can't see that getting thrown out of whack, the cargo bays are still semi-pressurized, so the plane doesn't deform.
2b)Pressure gauge- That shouldn't be affected in any way, if it's at 0psi, it's at 0

I've never heard of a single instance of a pressure gauge or depth gauge getting affected by flight, though I would consider carrying them on, so you know they will get there intact.

[Duckydiver]

I have checked my gauges several times with on ill affect.

[terrillja]

Originally Posted by Duckydiver

I have checked my gauges several times with on ill affect.

Guessing you mean no ill effect?

[Damselfish]

The cargo hold in a jet is presurized same as the passenger cabin, it's an urban myth that it's not. If it weren't, your shampoo would be leaking all over and any animals in the hold wouldn't be too happy. The flat floor between the passengers and cargo is not a structure to resist pressure, the tube shape of the plane is a whole lot better at that.

I usually just carry on my whole regset with guages attached, but I've never had a problem when I do check it and never heard of one.

[mark44883]

your not the frist to fly with scuba gauges if it affte them they would have a warning on them

[mitsuguy]

bottom of the plane is pressurized - no problem at all... dogs, cats and such fly down there with no issues...

[Crimediver]

Pressurized or not, there will be a pressure change of some sort when flying. I had a Pelican case in checked luggage and it could not be opened until the purge was opened to allow air in the case. It had a significant amount of suction built up inside. Two strong cops could not pull it apart after struggling with it for several minutes. I advised them to open the purge and it popped right open.

Notice, I said strong cops, not smart cops.

[mitsuguy]

Originally Posted by Crimediver

Pressurized or not, there will be a pressure change of some sort when flying. I had a Pelican case in checked luggage and it could not be opened until the purge was opened to allow air in the case. It had a significant amount of suction built up inside. Two strong cops could not pull it apart after struggling with it for several minutes. I advised them to open the purge and it popped right open.

Notice, I said strong cops, not smart cops.

thats why you can't fly immediately after you dive...

the cabin is "vacuumed" to the equivalent of 10,000 ft above sea level when the door is shut... it's like jumping from whatever elevation you are at (lets assume sea level), directly to 10,000 ft above... it's an almost instantaneous jump, and the reason your ears pop sometime between the time they close the cabin doors and just after lift off... if you had any micro bubbles in your blood at this time, they could come out of solution and you get a DCS hit in an airplane that is on its way somewhere...