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Yup, provided they examples get used appropriately then it works well. For example, the particular question that I am thinking of that results in a >40% backgas mix (for a single tank, non-deco dive) allows you to really start discussing what "best mix" is. Typically when talking about that...

As a TDI instructor, I can safely say that "best mix" is poorly defined in TDI course materials. Some of the questions in the books/exams are ridiculous - particularly in Advanced Nitrox where you end up calculating a "best mix" of 54% or something daft like that. I would take the manuals...

Alas, such lack of understanding is far too common. It makes perfect sense for new divers to stay shallow - the 18m/60ft mark isn't entirely arbitrary. It's the depth where gas consumption is likely to end a dive way before a NDL is reached, so it's a fairly "safe" depth. But as experience...

The more pertinent question is...... why would you want to?

In the words of my mother, don't assume... as it makes an ass of u and me!! Check that it will be covered! ;) I think that everyone will have a different opinion on this - whether steel/ali plate, 30 or 40lb wing. You can probably make any combination work. Personally, being a sinker...

To be honest, no agency really specifies a depth limit on a diver - irrespective of the level of training. What they do is: (a) specify a limit that must be adhered to during training dives (b) recommend a maximum depth for post-course dives As you gain experience, you can use your...

Thanks, Steve. I've tried Richard but am still waiting for a reply to the email.

Again, I'm guessing..... but I doubt that BSAC have it. CMAS, no idea. BSAC are a little old fashioned at times, a friend of mine nearly failed his instructor exam because he used powerpoint. One of other candidates failed to get the concepts across, but got bonus points for building a model...

I am guessing, but I very much doubt that BSAC or CMAS will have "optional" tables in entry level training.

Here ya go, this is the list: http://tecrec.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/tecrec-qualifying-certifications.pdf AN/DP does allow you to miss Extended Range and do TDI Normoxic Trimix. Unless you have a real fixation on the PADI courses, that may be a more straightforward option for you.

There is a list on the web, I'll dig it out and post later. You'll need the equivalent of Tec50 - which is Extended Range, not AN/DP. Essentially, Tec50 is a two deco bottle course, so you need a course that has two deco bottles in it to qualify for equivalence.

Even from an entirely prosaic point of view, having ditchable weight will also make a "standard" OW class a little easier to manage. Later, with an aluminium plate, the diver could just shift the weight from a weight belt to cam band pockets.

In a 3mm wetsuit, a steel plate would seem like too much weight for someone who is a sinker. If it were me, I'd probably look at an aluminium plate and a 30lb wing. A single 40lb wing only really makes sense if you are diving with a lot more buoyant exposure protection. If it's any help...

You have to ask what the pony is for, though. Is the pony being used to provide with redundancy in case of an equipment failure? or Is the pony being used to provide an additional gas supply because someone doesn't know how much gas they actually need to do a given dive. IMHO, the...

Something that you may eventually learn is that ultimately, when it comes to decompression, there are no rules. There are a collection of guidelines that are based on relatively little evidence. Those guidelines are such that most people, most of the time remain DCS symptom free.

Which to my mind, is not a bad thing. The OP made a comment that "it was all about greed and everything should be taught in one course". Well, those courses exist - we offer the GUE Rec 1 course, which goes into a lot more discussion of deco theory than PADI OW. So here's the choice...

That's close enough to round up to 1000..... yeah, and if you were signing on for a charter trip you could probably call it 1500. ;)

Negligence is a strong word. If you chose to extend your diving beyond the limits of the training you have..... there's no negligence on PADI's behalf. There are answers. But the problem I have, is that if you are trying to not exceed your no-deco limits and you still do..... you simply...

Actually, PADI changed the name to "adventures in diving" because the course is intended to "advance your education"... not make you an advanced diver. I'm always skeptical of anyone claiming to have over 10,000 dives. If you did any average of three dives a day, that's 3333 days of diving...

In my experience, one of two things happen when people start doing this without really understanding the underlying issues. 1. They buy a small tank as "an emergency reserve", but that then gives them false confidence and end up doing more aggressive diving than the reserve can cope with...