IANTD?

[bradlw]

I mentioned this as an aside in a post on one of the solo topics a few minutes ago...but thought I'd ask.
and for context I'm a rusty diver.... haven't been active for a little more than 20 years.....

All of my experience happened before the mainstream recreational orgs did anything with nitrox, trimix, or technical anything at all....(Padi, SSI, NAUI, I don't remember any others)
As far as I recall TDI was pretty small back then and the bigger player in the technical world was IANTD. I don't even recall any other technical training agencies off the top of my head....well I think GUE was just a niche thing over in the caves towards the end....

In my time here poking around and getting refreshed on the topic I have barely if ever seen mention of IANTD. I know that they still exist...but are they just not around much any more? Their web site seems weak & I just don't see a lot of presence out there.

I had my recreational certs through SSI back in the 1990's. Somewhere along the way I took a Nitrox class and was certified through IANTD. This was back long before the mainstream recreational outfits did it. Later I wanted to start exploring technical to extend my range...and over a few years and a move to a new city I ended up both places with IANTD instructors. I didn't pick SSI or IANTD, just fell into them I guess..... they seemed to be more prevalent then they are now.

Anyway, back then IANTD was pretty hard core compared with SSI. The requirements and drills were much more involved. I imaged it to be very similar to how I'd read open water certifications used to be back in the 50's or 60's when it was only a macho tough guy sport. IANTD did get into some stuff that seamed flaky to me.... like big off topic tangents into antioxidants and stuff that seemed to me sort of hippie new-age...but the diving stuff seemed solid and I'm glad I went through their classes.

Hey I'm not married to them or sad about it...just curious.

 

[Centrals]

I am IANTD trained all the way to trimix.
Even Mr. JJ of GUE was a IANTD cave instructor for a while. There is a picture of him in the relative old edition of IANTD encyclopedia back in 90s.

 

[BoltSnap]

Just a note: NAUI had nitrox training since circa 1992. I went through the first recreational Nitrox instructor training in the world through NAUI/IAND with Dick Rutkowski. I was in the first group of recreational nitrox instructors in the world. NAUI did not shy away from Nitrox or technical diving.

The other pioneer purely technical diving agency is "ANDI".

 

[bradlw]

interesting. I only new one guy that was NAUI certified. Dove with him a few times but I was never really exposed to their training or their 'ways'
My IANTD Nitrox cert was early 1995. It was long for what it is now.... I think 4 classroom sessions (like a an hour or two each, evenings after work), and required two or maybe more check-out dives!
Any idea when IANTD started teaching it?
When did the other recreational agencies start offering nitrox...PADI, SSI? That was never on my radar.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

I think IANTD has a very strong presence in Europe.

 

[Centrals]

When did the other recreational agencies start offering nitrox...PADI, SSI? That was never on my radar.

I did PADI basic nitrox in 1997. Two actual dives were required then.
IANTD Deep Air + Advanced Nitrox few months later.

 

[rx7diver]

My Recreational Nitrox was in 1993 through IANTD. We used Dick Rutkowski's workbook. I wasn't aware of any other agency teaching Nitrox at that time. (Had TDI been born yet at that time?) A couple of years later, I purchased the NAUI Nitrox textbook by Hamilton and Silverstein that was first published in 1997, I believe.

Like you, @bradlw, all my technical scuba training was IANTD, in the mid 1990's, through "Advanced Deep Air" and "Technical Nitrox"--except for my NSS-CDS/NACD "Cavern" and "Basic Cave" training, which was in 1988 (way before this type of diving was referred to as "technical diving").

rx7diver

 

[tursiops]

When did the other recreational agencies start offering nitrox...PADI, SSI?

I did PADI basic nitrox in 1997. Two actual dives were required then.

PADI introduced its Enriched Air (Nitrox) (called EANx) course in 1Q1996. AOW or OW+10 dives were prerequisites. It was supported by a video, a manual, an Equivalent Air Depth table, an O2 Exposure table, and RDPs for 32% and 36%. Two OW dive with EANx were required. An instructor had to be certified as a PADI EANx diver (or equivalent certification) and have 20 logged EANx dives, or have taken an EANx Specialty Instructor Training course, plus 10 logged EANx dives.

 

[Searcaigh]

My IANTD courses are Trimix and IWR, post PADI.

 

[DeepSeaExplorer]

I did IANTD Tech Diver and Trimix, with different instructors. They were both good classes. Did some real dives with real deco.

The Nitrox class back then had a two dive requirement. So, we got 32% and went out on a boat to dive a 30ft reef. Seemed silly. There was absolutely nothing to learn by diving Nitrox on a 30ft reef. So, I was very ok when they dropped the dive requirement.