cwb once bubbled...
Calculating NDL's on the fly (multilevel or square profile) wasn't covered in either one of the DIR-F classes I was in, and I had the same instructors that you did. Are you sure it wasn't a side conversation that you had with Andrew or MHK?
No, I specifically remember the event. It was discussed on Friday night, in class.
However, as I'm sure you experienced also, the Friday night "brief" and class is somewhat loosely organized, and there seemed to be quite a bit of discussion and Q+A. Thus, it could have simply "come up" and was not normally a part of DIR-F. Or, the curriculum could have changed to include the procedure. Or, it may have been something that they discussed due to the fact that they had time, or less people, or whatever. Nonetheless, we spent close to an hour going over the procedure and running examples. It kept me up all night Friday night running examples in my head so that I could feel confident with the procedure. I did the same thing with the mathematical weight/trim calculation that they shared that same night.
Whether it's a part of the "normal" curriculum or not, the point is that the information is available to a diver at that point, and from people who know and are qualified and experienced enough to be able to teach the stuff with confidence.
...Which is why I recommend taking the course to people who have questions. The "Rule of 120" is only one tiny tidbit of information available at a DIR-F course, and not even one of the "big morsels" of info.
It boils down to this... And I'm not sure why this thread has gone on so long and continues to be such a huge ordeal... If you want to know what these DIR guys are doing, then go find out. If you want to know what DIR is all about, then go take the course. If you want to argue DIR, feel free, but equip yourself with the information as we've gotten it. If you want to know, because all of this sounds so darn
interesting, then we know where you're coming from... We felt the same way... And the only way to "get it" is to take the course. Why does DIR recommend "no computers?" Take the course. What is the "Rule of 120?" Take the course. Why a bp/wings? Take the course. A halfway point to answering these questions would be buying the book and reading it. If you're like me and very curious, then you'll end up doing both... Buying the book and then taking the course anyway.
...But to have these people constantly demand to know "why" and then accuse me of hiding something akin to the
Wizard of Oz is just plain silly. It's like someone walking up to you and demanding, "I've never driven a car before. Tell me how to drive a car." Of course, you'd tell them to take the course and learn properly. If they got angry and accused you of "selling driver's ed courses," you'd think, "This is silly. You need to take the course to learn how to drive." When they continued to demand, you'd likely understand the fascination, and then you might say, "Well, this is a steering wheel, and this is the accelerator... This is the brake," and so on, but then tell them, "You need to take the course." When they angrily demanded to know why, exactly, they needed to sometimes make left-hand turns (because they're so much less safe than making right-hand turns) then you'd probably blink twice at them, think to yourself, "They just don't get it," and recommend that they take a driver's ed course and learn how to drive properly. You might even recommend a book on driving first. ...And when someone said to you, "You know what? This is stupid. I might not take the course at all... I think I'm just fine riding on the bus..." You'd think to yourself, "Sure, dude. Suit yourself... No skin off my back." Then you'd go get in your car and take it out for a spin, all while getting funny looks from all of the people on the bus.
The Rule of 120 was taught in my DIR-F class. If it's not in yours, ask about it, and I'm sure that they'll be thrilled to go through it all day long. They were for me. I found the class simply amazing. If not, then enjoy your spot on the bus. Some people prefer it there, so it apparently suits some people just fine. Maybe that's where you ought to be. Perhaps that's where you belong.
...Or you can be with us. Some people even sometimes drive their cars and sometimes take the bus... It's completely up to you.
Doesn't matter to me.
But if you ask me a question, then be prepared to hear the truth, 'cause I'm gonna give it to ya. And the truth is that if you want your questions about DIR answered, then you need to take the class. Any information that comes to you about DIR that does not come from GUE directly is questionable, and in my experience, often wrong.
So go get it directly. Or enjoy your seat on the bus. But those are the only two options that I've ever seen.
And that's the truth.