Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST] life support method?

["D. Blake" <dblake@bright.net>]

-----Original Message-----
From: VBra676539@aol.com <VBra676539@aol.com>
To: personal_submersibles@psubs.org <personal_submersibles@psubs.org>
Date: Saturday, August 05, 2000 7:36 AM
Subject: Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST] life support method?


>Dave,
>
>Your Subject title is 'life support method' and you mentioned test flying
as
>in test piloting.

I did say "piloting", but not as in "flying".  Also, I mentioned "trying out
an amatuer built craft", but not as a test pilot.  I know I would never
expect anyone to pilot a craft I built unless I was first convinced it was
safe.  No, what I was getting at mainly was the relatively short amount of
time actually spent on a psub dive.  The machines (crafts) you have
described as operating (piloting) in the past on these pages were of proven
design with a track record of safety including your K350.  Even if a
backyard-built craft of an amatuer design was tested and retested
beforehand, I doubt even you--with your experience--would not have at least
a little trepidation upon "trying it out".  And I don't mean trying it out
for the first time before anyone else either.
.
>I think we all need to remember that these things are not
>experimental, and every system from the hull to the wiring is part of your
>'life support syste.' I don't care if you are a backyard builder or not.
The
>engineering concepts and quality control methods are standardized and need
to
>be adhered to. You don't have to be a Wright brother.

There you go again with that damn 'ol aircraft analogy!

>Your psub should be
>tested and tested again. Every system has to be carefully built and
>vigorously tested. Including the hull. And the thrusters in the swimming
>pool. And the life support system in the garage with an outside crew (not
>allowed to drink until you get out). When you finally get around to
training
>yourself to actual motor around in the thing, the only new sensation should
>be water lapping against the main ballast tanks. Everything else needs to
be
>familiar and comfortable to you. It's the difference between us taking the
>car into afternoon traffic on an errand, and a fourteen year old stealing
the
>car  and going for a joy ride in afternoon traffic for his first driving
>lesson.

Point well taken! Yeah, I guess my description of the anxious psub pilot was
a little over-the-top, but I have read first dive accounts from both Gary
and Pat.  They did not seem very comfortable at the time.
Again, my main point was that--from what I understand--the length of time
actually underwater diving in an amatuer built craft is not all day unless
of course you get caught in a piece of net, or some other awful thing
happens.  On the other hand, those crafts you have experienced piloting most
of us can only dream about.  There you may be involved in scientific study,
or inspecting offshore oil platforms etc. and perhaps submerged for extended
periods of time.  The life support systems are necessarily more complicated
(read: vastly more expensive).  Besides, is a heater considered a required
life support system?  Hell, that's what this whole thing was about to begin
with not test-piloting an aircraft.
TTYL,
Big Dave
>
>Vance
>