LDC Introduces Avelo!
Sabrina Richardson Feb 17, 2025
The Louisville Dive Center is the first place in Kentucky to offer Avelo training and RAD certifications! Coming in March 2025, our instructors will welcome divers who want to try out the new and improved buoyancy techniques using lightweight devices that help achieve near-perfect buoyancy every time they dive.
The Avelo Dive System is an innovative scuba diving apparatus designed to enhance buoyancy control and streamline the diver's experience. It replaces traditional components like the buoyancy control device (BCD) and separate weight systems with an integrated solution that offers constant neutral buoyancy throughout the dive.
The new Avelo system features a Hydrotank—a high-pressure cylinder equipped with a flexible internal bladder that stores compressed breathing gas. By pumping water into the space surrounding the bladder, divers can adjust their buoyancy without relying on air-filled BCDs. The system also includes a jetpack that consists of a backplate, harness, battery, and pump. The pump allows water to be introduced into or expelled from the Hydrotank, facilitating precise buoyancy adjustments.
When using the system, divers can focus more on their underwater experience without constantly adjusting a BCD to maintain buoyancy at different depths. Thanks to its built-in buoyancy, the system eliminates the need for traditional weights, making it lighter and easier to handle both in and out of the water—an ideal feature for travel. The improved buoyancy system also helps divers achieve safer, more controlled ascents and descents, potentially reducing the risk of barotrauma and decompression sickness.
To use the Avelo System, divers must complete the Recreational Avelo Diver (RAD) specialty course, which includes eLearning modules and practical dives. Starting in March 2025, the Louisville Dive Center will offer courses and have the system available for rent.