Since USS GRAPPLE is involved this will be a Navy diving operation like TWA800.
There will be no SCUBA diving below 130' or any planned deco diving in SCUBA. 
If the depth is 275fsw, dives will be done in surface supplied apparatus with
HeO2.  Given reports of temperatures, they will most likely use hot water suits
rather than dry suits.  I would suspect strongly that deco will be done using
SurD O2 (Surface Decompression - Oxygen) procedures which involve taking the
diver from his 40' stop to the surface in 1 minute, and returning him to 40' in
the chamber within 5 minutes of leaving 40' in the water.  Remaining
decompression obligation is then completed according to the Navy SurD O2 table.

As to total turnaround time per dive, I haven't checked the schedule for a
275/20 dive.  But you can count on it being done by the book (US Navy Diving
Manual). 

Typically divers will not be employed until debris fields are located by side
scan sonar & confirmed by ROV's.  Scooters would not be used although typically
divers will ride a pneumatic stage from the ship to the bottom & back.  Then
they will usually be walking on the bottom with MK12 steel toed boots for both
weight & protection.

As George says this will be a difficult job.  It speaks well for his ability to
assess his abilities that George did not puff himself up & declare that he
knows just how to do the job.  Sorta contradicts some of the pundits, no?  A
wise man knows the extent of his abilities and his limitations.  

As to volunteering, Navy divers have already volunteered when they joined the
program.  Although I suspect they will be given the option of not making these
dives, I wouldn't expect to see many opt out.

If by some exceptionally remote chance, I am called up to participate in this
operation then I'll be on my way.  However anyone who looks forward to body
searches is either sick or a fool (or both).

B.L. Flank


-----Original Message-----
From: kirvine@sa*.ne* [mailto:kirvine@sa*.ne*]
Sent: Tuesday, November 02, 1999 10:06 AM
To: tgunther@co*.co*
Cc: techdiver@aquanaut.com
Subject: Re: EGYPTIAN AIR


Actually, if it is scuba, then they really need to get volunteers. If it
is commercial, then they need to do it by those rules, which imply the
correct equipment to do whatever needs to be done.

When we have had to do this kind of thing, nobody actually asks you to
do it. 

This is going to be a hard one. Personally , I would not dive unless
they had some seriously good location equipment to narrow the search. 

As far as profiles, this could be done repeatedly if the bt was kept at
about 18 minutes, and they used scooters, rotating the teams. I still do
not see much getting done by divers like this in any reasonable amount
of time. If they find a wreck field, then maybe.

tgunther@co*.co* wrote:
> 
> According to the news this morning, the wreckage of Egyptian Air is at 275ft,
> meaning only two divers can go for 20 miuntes a day.   What is wrong with this
> picture?
> 
> Tod

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