AP Diving

AP Diving, also known as Ambient Pressure Diving and formerly associated with the name A.P.Valves, is a British manufacturer of diving equipment based at Water-Ma-Trout in Helston, Cornwall. The company serves technical, recreational, military and professional diving applications, with a product portfolio spanning electronically controlled closed-circuit rebreathers, buoyancy-compensation systems, scuba equipment and equipment for surface-supplied diving. The business began in 1969 with a valve designed to allow a diver to breathe from the inflation cylinder of a stabiliser jacket. This initial focus on buoyancy-compensation and gas-management equipment developed into the manufacture of adjustable buoyancy life jackets, stabiliser jackets and other diving accessories. Over time, AP Diving expanded into rebreather technology, becoming particularly associated with the Inspiration family of electronically controlled closed-circuit rebreathers. Closed-circuit rebreathers recycle a diver's exhaled gas rather than releasing every breath as bubbles. The system monitors and manages the breathing loop by adding oxygen and, depending on the configuration, diluent gas. This operating principle can support extended underwater duration and reduced bubble output, making rebreathers relevant to technical, military and specialist professional diving. They also require specialized training, maintenance and operational discipline, so AP Diving's products occupy a specialist segment rather than the broadest recreational-equipment market. The Inspiration range has been produced since 1997. Its earliest version, now commonly identified as the Inspiration Classic, reached the end of its product-support life in April 2017 after approximately two decades. Later models introduced different electronic control systems while retaining backward compatibility with the original architecture, according to the available reference material. AP Diving's other documented product families include Buddy and Commando buoyancy compensators for recreational and military users, and the Mk IV Jump Jacket for use with surface-supplied diving equipment. The company has also maintained visibility through appearances at diving trade shows. In January 2018, AP Diving managing director Martin Parker received the European Underwater Federation Lavanchy Award at the Boot Show in Düsseldorf. Publicly available reference material identifies the company's principal products and broad history but does not establish a complete ownership history, detailed financial profile, global distribution map or full executive chronology. AP Diving is therefore best understood as an active specialist British diving-equipment brand whose identity is anchored in rebreather engineering and buoyancy-control equipment.

AP Diving is a British diving-equipment manufacturer based at Water-Ma-Trout in Helston, Cornwall. The company is also associated with the names Ambient Pressure Diving and A.P.Valves. Its documented history begins in 1969, when it produced a valve intended to let a diver breathe from the inflation cylinder of a stabiliser-jacket buoyancy compensator. This early product placed the business at the intersection of buoyancy control and breathing-gas management. The company subsequently developed adjustable buoyancy life jackets and stabiliser jackets, broadening its activity into equipment used to control a diver's position and trim in the water. It later added other diving equipment and accessories, including products for recreational, military, professional and surface-supplied diving. This progression from a specialized valve into a wider equipment portfolio is central to the company's documented development. AP Diving became especially identified with closed-circuit rebreathers. Unlike open-circuit scuba equipment, which vents exhaled gas into the water, a closed-circuit rebreather recycles gas through a breathing loop and adds gases as needed. Electronically controlled systems use sensors and control electronics to help manage the loop. Such equipment is associated with technical and specialist diving because it can reduce bubble output and support longer underwater operations, while also imposing more demanding training, maintenance and safety requirements. The Inspiration rebreather family has been in production since 1997. The first model is now referred to as the Inspiration Classic. After roughly twenty years, its product-support life ended in April 2017. It was superseded by newer models using different electronic control systems, while the available reference describes those later systems as backward compatible with the original architecture. The Inspiration line remains the clearest expression of AP Diving's specialist market identity. The company has also produced equipment outside its rebreather range. Documented examples include Buddy and Commando buoyancy compensators aimed at recreational and military scuba users, as well as the Mk IV Jump Jacket, a buoyancy compensator intended for surface-supplied diving equipment. These products show that AP Diving's scope extends beyond a single rebreather family into buoyancy compensation and other forms of diving support equipment. AP Diving has periodically exhibited at diving trade shows, providing a channel for product visibility within the specialist diving industry. In January 2018, managing director Martin Parker received the European Underwater Federation Lavanchy Award at the Boot Show in Düsseldorf. Public reference material does not provide a complete account of the company's ownership, revenue, international subsidiaries, distribution network or management succession. Its documented history nevertheless supports a profile of an active Cornish diving-equipment manufacturer with roots in buoyancy technology and a long-running specialization in electronically controlled closed-circuit rebreathers.

• 2018

  Managing director receives Lavanchy Award

  [1]AP Divingen.wikipedia.org

  Martin Parker receives the European Underwater Federation Lavanchy Award at the Boot Show in Düsseldorf in January.

• 2017

  Inspiration Classic support ends

  [1]AP Divingen.wikipedia.org

  The earliest Inspiration model, subsequently known as the Inspiration Classic, reaches the end of its product-support life in April after about twenty years.

• 1997

  Inspiration rebreathers enter production

  [1]AP Divingen.wikipedia.org

  The Inspiration family of electronically controlled closed-circuit rebreathers begins production.

• 1969

  Company begins with a buoyancy-compensator breathing valve

  [1]AP Divingen.wikipedia.org

  The business starts by making a valve that enables a diver to breathe from the inflation cylinder of a stabiliser-jacket buoyancy compensator.

Specialist technical, professional, military and recreational diving equipment, with a strong association with electronically controlled closed-circuit rebreathers.

• Electronically controlled closed-circuit rebreather · 1997

  Inspiration

  The Inspiration family is AP Diving's best-known product line. These electronically controlled closed-circuit rebreathers recycle breathing gas through a loop and manage gas addition through electronic control systems. The range is associated with technical and specialist diving, where reduced bubble output and extended underwater operation can be valuable. The first model entered production in 1997, and later versions superseded the original architecture while retaining backward compatibility according to the available reference material.

• Closed-circuit rebreather

  Inspiration Classic

  The Inspiration Classic is the later designation for the earliest Inspiration rebreather model. It was produced for approximately twenty years, becoming the foundation of the Inspiration product architecture. AP Diving ended product support for this model in April 2017, after newer electronically controlled versions had become its successors.

• Buoyancy compensator

  Buddy

  Buddy is a documented AP Diving buoyancy-compensator line serving recreational and military scuba applications. The range reflects the company's continuing activity in buoyancy-control equipment alongside its rebreather business. Detailed model specifications, launch dates and current availability are not established by the supplied reference material.

• Buoyancy compensator

  Commando

  Commando is a buoyancy-compensator product line documented for recreational and military scuba use. It forms part of AP Diving's equipment portfolio beyond closed-circuit breathing systems. The available material does not provide a complete chronology or detailed technical specification for the line.

• Surface-supplied diving buoyancy compensator

  Mk IV Jump Jacket

  The Mk IV Jump Jacket is a buoyancy compensator designed for use with surface-supplied diving equipment. It demonstrates AP Diving's reach into specialist professional-diving equipment rather than limiting the brand to self-contained scuba and rebreather systems.

• 2017

  Retirement of the original Inspiration modelGeneration change

  Background

  The first Inspiration rebreather had been in production for about twenty years and reached the end of its product-support life in April 2017.

  Action taken

  AP Diving ended support for the original model, identified as the Inspiration Classic, and moved users toward newer models with different electronic control systems.

  Aftermath

  The newer models superseded the original while remaining backward compatible with the original architecture, according to the available reference.

  Source

• 2018

  Martin Parker receives European Underwater Federation Lavanchy Award[1]AP Divingen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  AP Diving managing director Martin Parker received the European Underwater Federation Lavanchy Award at the Boot Show in Düsseldorf in January 2018.

• 2017

  Inspiration Classic reaches end of product-support life[1]AP Divingen.wikipedia.org

  Product generation

  The earliest Inspiration rebreather model, later identified as the Inspiration Classic, reached the end of its product-support life in April 2017 after approximately twenty years in production.

1. 1AP Divingen.wikipedia.org