New PADI 'Discover Enriched Air Nitrox' course launched...

Pete Melbourne wrote:
> Bardo wrote:
>> That said, I personally welcome this 'demystifying' of nitrox -
>> anything that gets divers supping nitrox in a responsible way has
>> got to be a good thing.
>>
> Totally

<aol>
Me too
</aol>

The fact that for most AOW style diving on a single using a
Nitrox mix will push the NDL out way beyond anything they
can manage on any human SAC so it means that even if they
do mess up totally the consequences won't be so bad.

That, after all, is what an agency should be looking for. Even
the blithering idiots get to dive safely and enjoy themselves.

There is far too much mystique in diving. Nothing is complicated,
nothing is really hard and the consequences of getting it wrong
behind the wheel of a car can be far worse. Diving has long since
moved from heroics to hobby.

Although I admit the idea of a course **BELOW** PADI Nitrox
rather amuses me. It isn't one of the most demanding ones in
the book.

nigelH

"Rudy Lacchin" <rulaREMOVETHIS@blueyonder.co.uk> wrote in message
news:bv7mpi$piuut$1@ID-182063.news.uni-berlin.de...
>
> "Bardo" <me@privacy.net> wrote in message
> news:bv70g5$oci3s$1@ID-115313.news.uni-berlin.de...
> >
> > Personally I'm a little concerned that it could lead to some divers
> > using it as a 'quick and dirty' way of getting their hands on nitrox
> > without having to go through a full blown course...
>
> I see this as part of PADI's continuing commitment to improving the gene
> pool. Like in so many other areas in life, you're never going to stop
> stupid people hurting themselves.
>
> R.
>
>

I agree that you will never stop stupid people hurting themselves, but I
fail to see why this is an excuse for a cheap pop at PADI. If they have
learned about nitrox dive planning, then they are as likely to exceed MODs
whichever organisation that they qualified with.

All knowledge is good knowledge.

Keith

"Keith Lawrence" <false@nospam.com> wrote in message
news:40178ec5$0$4096$5a6aecb4@news.aaisp.net.uk...
> "Bardo" <me@privacy.net> wrote ...
>
> > PADI DISCOVER Enriched Air NITROX consists of these segments of the PADI
> > Enriched Air Diver Specialty Course:
>
> I'm with Pete M - I don't see any problem with this and personally I think
> that it's a smart/correct move by PADI.
>
> I have long been of the opinion that for simple no-stop diving there is
> NOTHING mystical about Nitrox, all of the existing courses are padded to
try
> and make something "special" out of it. There is nothing about basic
Nitrox
> that cannot be taught as part of an elementary course.
>
> So well done PADI. Given that there is no dive that can be done where air
is
> the "correct" gas I'm all for introducing it at a very early stage,
there's
> nothing difficult in there. I'm seeing this as the start of making Nitrox
> the standard diving gas by introducing it at elementary level, a good
thing
> IMHO.
>
> Keith L

I presume that it is the planning using nitrox tables that they are missing
out of this course. If so it seems a bit pointless to save an hours
studying and only getting half the benefit by diving on air tables.

Roy

"JayTee" <DomJayTee@nospamhotmail.com> wrote...

> I presume that it is the planning using nitrox tables
> that they are missing out of this course. If so it
> seems a bit pointless to save an hours studying and only
> getting half the benefit by diving on air tables.

I don't know what's in and what's out. But even if it is Nitrox tables,
assuming that you can use a RDP then just how many hours of intensive
tuition do you need to be able to read a Nitrox table? Do you have to be
shown by an instructor how to set your computer for 32%?

That's my whole point - Nitrox is NOT difficult, all this mystique about
OTU's and CNS is totally irrelevant for a straight forward no-stop dive on
32%, you just don't need it. By cutting out the cr*p (e.g. the IANTD "karma"
rubbish) you can teach a no-stop diver EVERYTHING they need to know about
Nitrox in one evening over a few beers down the pub.

The mystique and complexity around basic Nitrox has only built up as padding
to justify the course fees, well done PADI for breaking ranks and making a
positive move to bring Nitrox into everyday use by all divers.

Keith L

"Keith Lawrence" <false@nospam.com> wrote in message
news:401853de$0$4099$5a6aecb4@news.aaisp.net.uk...
> "JayTee" <DomJayTee@nospamhotmail.com> wrote...
>
> > I presume that it is the planning using nitrox tables
> > that they are missing out of this course. If so it
> > seems a bit pointless to save an hours studying and only
> > getting half the benefit by diving on air tables.
>
> I don't know what's in and what's out. But even if it is Nitrox tables,
> assuming that you can use a RDP then just how many hours of intensive
> tuition do you need to be able to read a Nitrox table? Do you have to be
> shown by an instructor how to set your computer for 32%?

But that's the point - PADI always put a much greater emphasis on planning
dives on tables rather than simply how to 'set your computer to 32%'.
Planning dives when you use nothing but 32% is very easy with the standard
PADI 32% tables but things do start to get a little bit more complicated if
the user starts jumping between air and 32% - by ensuring that they do all
their planning on an air table, they're minimising the risk of the diver
miscalculating nitrogen loadings for repetitive dives whilst increasing
safety margins considerably.

> That's my whole point - Nitrox is NOT difficult, all this mystique about
> OTU's and CNS is totally irrelevant for a straight forward no-stop dive on
> 32%, you just don't need it. By cutting out the cr*p (e.g. the IANTD
"karma"
> rubbish) you can teach a no-stop diver EVERYTHING they need to know about
> Nitrox in one evening over a few beers down the pub.

Funnily enough, I did just that last time I was out in Egypt - it's funny
how the theory comes right back to you when you've got a few Egyptian beers
inside you!

> The mystique and complexity around basic Nitrox has only built up as
padding
> to justify the course fees, well done PADI for breaking ranks and making a
> positive move to bring Nitrox into everyday use by all divers.

Seconded!!!!

"I wonder what the motivation is?"

have a quite word with yourself......it's money..........or is it introducing a
devil gas to basic level divers........)

"Bardo" <me@privacy.net> wrote in message
news:bv9m7t$pn2mp$1@ID-115313.news.uni-berlin.de...
>
>
> But that's the point - PADI always put a much greater emphasis on planning
> dives on tables rather than simply how to 'set your computer to 32%'.
> Planning dives when you use nothing but 32% is very easy with the standard
> PADI 32% tables but things do start to get a little bit more complicated
if
> the user starts jumping between air and 32% - by ensuring that they do all
> their planning on an air table, they're minimising the risk of the diver
> miscalculating nitrogen loadings for repetitive dives whilst increasing
> safety margins considerably.
>

Having downloaded the new instructor guide. It appears that the Discover
Enriched Air course doesn't require a dive on a blended gas.

As follows:
[quote]
To earn the DISCOVER Enriched Air NITROX card, divers must:
1. Be a certified PADI Open Water Diver or have a qualifying certification
from another training organization. (Note: DISCOVER Enriched Air
NITROX may be conducted concurrently with the PADI Open Water Diver
course. In this case, the Open Water Diver certification requirements must
be met before submitting the DISCOVER Enriched Air NITROX PIC
Envelope to PADI.)
2. Successfully complete Knowledge Development 1 (Enriched air dive
planning,
care for equipment, hazard management, use and application of enriched air.)
The
PADI Enriched Air Diver Manual and Enriched Air Diver video are required.
3. Successfully complete Practical Application 1 (using an oxygen analyzer
to
determine oxygen content in an enriched air blend, verification of cylinder
content, use of fill log).
An enriched air dive may accompany the program, but is not required.

Hope this clarifies it somewhat. I see where they're going with it, but it
doesn't seem far IYKWIM.
Why only teach half the course? It's only a 1 day course for the whole lot.

"Tricky" <scubatricky@nospam.yahoo.co.uk> wrote in message
news:bvc28p$5k3$1@news8.svr.pol.co.uk


> Why only teach half the course? It's only a 1 day course for the whole lot.



IIRC the TDI bsic nitrox course doesn't require a dive either.
It's one of the options to show you the benfits of diving ENx.

That course doesn't just stick to 32%. It covers 22-40 and is done in 3
classroom hours.

The average cost *Seems* to be about £90. Any idea on the price for
the PADI discover? I know the EAN course from them is about £75.

HTH

DaveA


--
Posted via Mailgate.ORG Server - http://www.Mailgate.ORG

On Fri, 30 Jan 2004 08:53:34 +0000 (UTC), "Dave Appleby"
<dave_appleby@yahoo.com> wrote:

>"Tricky" <scubatricky@nospam.yahoo.co.uk> wrote in message
>news:bvc28p$5k3$1@news8.svr.pol.co.uk
>
>
>> Why only teach half the course? It's only a 1 day course for the whole lot.
>
>
>
>IIRC the TDI bsic nitrox course doesn't require a dive either.
>It's one of the options to show you the benfits of diving ENx.
>
>That course doesn't just stick to 32%. It covers 22-40 and is done in 3
>classroom hours.

Which pretty much matches the BSAC basic course

Pete
diving 'at' melbourne 'dot' me 'dot' uk