oc training progression beyond adv nitrox and deco pro

[OMANDIVER]

hi there, I am posting to ask opinions from anyone who has experience of training beyond adv nitrox and deco pro. I dive in warm waters in the middle east, not the UK. I will be training with the same excellent instructor in the Red Sea who can offer Extended Range and Intro Tmx OR Tec 50 and Trimix 65. I dont intend to do OC Advanced Trimix. PADI gives an extra 5M(does that matter?), the former a rather unfashionable training experience of diving on air. I would particularly value the thoughts of anyone who has actually done the Extended Range course and their views as to its wider value in diving education? prices for both sets courses is the same as is the quality and level of instruction.

(Please no tired debates on deep air - 55M isn't compulsory!)

any thoughts gratefully received

 

[Dr. Lecter]

Are you talking about PSAI Extended Range Nitrox? I'm not really sure what your question is…but I think the answer boils down to if you like the instructor, do whatever training with him you want to get whatever card you think will serve you better going forward. For OC, I like air just fine to the depths where PSAI's last narcosis management course leaves off…but if the PADI card will give you greater range, there's nothing stopping you from doing informal deep air training dives with the same instructor later on.

 

[Nasser]

I have taken the TDI Ext. Range/Entry Level Trimix - they actually both use the same manual. It was an excellent and very enjoyable course. The drills and requirements are a little more intense and much less margin for error is tolerated. You are expected to have your act together with respect to the theory and basic principles of deco diving and the use of nitrox for accelerated deco.

These topics are reinforced with even more detailed and thorough dive planning. We had an excellent instructor that went beyond the basic text and included information from other sources. During the theory and lecture parts of the course, we where given a lot of problems and questions to solve that really require you to think. It's not just about plugging formulas in and coming up with the numbers ... it's about using these building blocks to deal with different situations and implement these in your dive planning and "what if" scenarios. There's a lot of emphasis placed on assessment and thinking through the various aspects of the dive while using your skills, theoretical knowledge and experience to determine if and how the dive will be conducted.

In the water the drills got progressively more challenging and the dives progressively deeper - we worked up to the 55m range gradually over the course of several dives. I left the course feeling very satisfied and had a much deeper and more comprehensive understanding of the theoretical and practical aspects of diving up to the 55m (air) 60m (trimix) range.

If you have a great instructor then don't hesitate to take this course as it is very practical and relevant in the diving conditions and environment you are in. I did my course in Dahab, Egypt which is as you may know, a great destination for tech dives and tech diving education.

Good luck.

 

[OMANDIVER]

TDI. here's the question again " I would particularly value the thoughts of anyone who has actually done the Extended Range course and their views as to its wider value in diving education? prices for both sets courses is the same as is the quality and level of instruction.

---------- Post added May 10th, 2014 at 05:20 AM ----------

Thanks Nasser that's really useful. I will be in Dahab too. One of my favourite places. For anyone considering going to Dahab, I just got back and the only danger is as always the bus ride to Sharm! People there really suffering from the German travel ban and British 'essential travel only' nonsense

 

[Searcaigh]

@ OMANDIVER

Contact Glenn Campbell of Coastal Technical Divers at Fujairah

 

[ElGaucho]

Taking Extended Range AND Trimix under TDI is kind of redundant. They are basically the same course (with and without Helium). How many days of training are you getting for the TDI combo?

 

[syntaxerrorsix]

Taking Extended Range AND Trimix under TDI is kind of redundant. They are basically the same course (with and without Helium). How many days of training are you getting for the TDI combo?

Not really, Extended Range is done on air and dealing with and working through narcosis. Trimix isn't readily available everywhere and it's expensive. If you have familiarity with deep air diving and know what to expect as far as narcosis you can still safely do dives where mix isn't available. The Trimix course demonstrates why helium is such a valuable tool but it also introduces you to the drawbacks such as longer/colder deco.

So in the end you come out a more rounded diver with more tools to safely plan and execute dives no matter the breathing gas.

 

[OMANDIVER]

Taking Extended Range AND Trimix under TDI is kind of redundant. They are basically the same course (with and without Helium). How many days of training are you getting for the TDI combo?

I believe its 6 dives for ER and 4 for Tmx, however long that takes

---------- Post added May 17th, 2014 at 10:08 AM ----------

Not really, Extended Range is done on air and dealing with and working through narcosis. Trimix isn't readily available everywhere and it's expensive. If you have familiarity with deep air diving and know what to expect as far as narcosis you can still safely do dives where mix isn't available. The Trimix course demonstrates why helium is such a valuable tool but it also introduces you to the drawbacks such as longer/colder deco.

So in the end you come out a more rounded diver with more tools to safely plan and execute dives no matter the breathing gas.

thanks a lot , that's what i'm trying to see, is it valuable in the context of a wider dive education to have done both. I have encountered a good deal of flak from people who seek to have a deep air argument, which is of no interest to me. People who have contacted me who have done TDI ER seem to have found it useful when combined with Intro Tmx. Those against it don't seem to include anyone who had done it. My experience of technical diving is limited, but my experience of risk mitigation is significant. To me there are a couple of higher risk activities that stand out; CCR use on one hand and the risk of heart attack in males over 50 out of condition or with concealed/unaware health issues is the other. These are two things I would actively seek to avoid.

---------- Post added May 17th, 2014 at 10:10 AM ----------

@ OMANDIVER

Contact Glenn Campbell of Coastal Technical Divers at Fujairah

many thanks, is there Helium in UAE now?

 

[Peter69_56]

Having done TDI ER and Intro helium I found it gave good info re risk mitigation as well as showing that team work is essential and that you must sort issues at depth and not suppose you can come to the surface after a short period of deco. It also highlights further getting your gas switch right given your number of gases/cylinders has now increased to potentially back gas, 2 x deco gas and maybe dry suit gas. All task loading, and potential for further errors/problems. Also being able to follow the dive plan, regardless of issues one might have (like a problem with shooting a SMB at depth should not stop your deco plan as planned). The additional risks (as well as gains) from using helium.

I believe if you do both together you can get credit for some dives which can reduce required diving to 8 for the whole course rather than the default of 10.

 

[OMANDIVER]

Having done TDI ER and Intro helium I found it gave good info re risk mitigation as well as showing that team work is essential and that you must sort issues at depth and not suppose you can come to the surface after a short period of deco. It also highlights further getting your gas switch right given your number of gases/cylinders has now increased to potentially back gas, 2 x deco gas and maybe dry suit gas. All task loading, and potential for further errors/problems. Also being able to follow the dive plan, regardless of issues one might have (like a problem with shooting a SMB at depth should not stop your deco plan as planned). The additional risks (as well as gains) from using helium.




I believe if you do both together you can get credit for some dives which can reduce required diving to 8 for the whole course rather than the default of 10.

thank you thats very useful Peter