Servicing Your Gear!

Recreational flying is fun. Watch pilots getting ready for a flight and you’ll see them do a “walk around” when the pilot checks the engine, flight controls and fuel level among other things before take off. The checks continue In the cockpit from a printed sheet. All of these checks contribute to a safe flight. Why? because, without them flying can be dangerous.! ! Scuba diving can also be dangerous. Think about it. You’re under a hundred feet of water, relying on mechanical equipment to provide you with air. You aren’t designed to breathe in water like aquatic animals. So, like the pilot above, we also go through check lists for out safety however there’s one difference between the pilot and the diver. The aircraft he flies must have a 100 hour or annual inspection (which ever comes first) by a qualified aircraft maintenance engineer. Without the inspection the aircraft is grounded.! ! Unfortunately the scuba regulator which is your life support equipment often doesn’t get the same attention … until they don’t work. At a hundred feet that is a real problem.! ! Just because your reg has been sitting in your scuba bag in the garage for the past year and it worked that last time you used it, doesn’t mean it’s safe. Rubber perishes, stainless steel and brass corrode, hoses crack and plastics harden.! ! I service regulators for a living. I don’t “look” at them as in “Terry, would you look at my regulator and see if it’s o.k.” Like the aircraft annual inspection, I tear the regulator down completely and replace worn components. Most regulators purchased new these days have lifetime, free parts replacement. If you purchased it used or on the internet, this doesn’t apply.! ! Now for the big question … do you care about your personal safety and your scuba diving family? Sixty-five dollars + parts is a small price to pay for safety. If it was your aircraft you’d add an extra zero to that number. It takes me about two hours to properly service a regulator. That’s $30/hour. Not a lot when your consider that taking your spouse to the movies with popcorn and drinks is about the same.! ! When’s the best time to have your gear serviced. We're ready when you are!