I think some of the objection to PSAI's stance on this may come from the wording directly on their website:
This isn't clear on the website. It appears that you can be certified to dive up to 240' on air from the website.
You mentioned a Sport Trimix program but I can't find a course description of that. If it allows the use of Trimix down to 150', how does that reconcile with the idea of needing to take an air class to 240' to prepare you for less forgiving helium based gasses.
I'm not slamming you here, but since you wanted feedback I'm pointing out what appears to be inconsistencies with what you're stating to us and what PSAI appears to be offering.
John, the Sport Trimix course isn't complete yet. Here is the current outline for classes I'm conducting. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO TAKE DEEP AIR TO 240 FEET. PSAI never required that for training. It was required that PSAI students be certified as Advanced Nitrox and suggested that they be Narcosis Mgt. Level III 150 feet for entry level trimix training to 200 feet. PSAI, TDI, and IANTD used to require advanced nitrox and extended range before trimix training. Now, the current landscape says divers should be able to avoid deep air diving if they so choose for trimix training within the mainstream tech agencies. Most still demand advanced nitrox/deco prior to trimix. This program is designed for the "air scared" to choose mix training in place of advanced nitrox. Since the course isn't in print, standards may change in the final product.
Dive 1: Critical Skills Training (20 - 60 feet of water)
1. Dive Planning - Instructor will demonstrate proper and thorough technical dive planning.
2. Pre-Dive Safety Checks - Instructor will demonstrate pre-dive safety checks.
3. Skills Review: Skills performed while carrying a single deco bottle.
A) Time-controlled descent
B) Frog Kick
C) Modified Frog Kick
D) Flutter Kick
E) Modified Flutter Kick
F) Shuffle Kick
G) Modified Dolphin Kick
H) Helicopter Turns
I) Backward Kick
J) Fundamental 5 - reg clear, reg exchange, mod S, mask clear, mask remove/replace
K) S-Drill
L) Valve Drill
M) DSMB Deployment
N) Time-controlled gas sharing ascent
4. Debrief - Instructor conducts post dive debrief.
Dive 2: Critical Skills Training (20 - 60 feet of water)
1. Dive Planning - Instructor and students plan dive as a group.
2. Pre-Dive Safety Checks - Students will conduct pre-dive checks with instructor feedback.
3. New Skills: Skills performed while carrying a single deco bottle.
A) Time-controlled descent while performing Fundamental 5
B) Bottle passing drill
C) Pocket contents drill
D) Deploy back-up light
E) Primary mask exchanged for back-up mask
F) Valve drill with flooded mask
G) Valve drill without mask
H) S-Drill with flooded mask
I) S-drill without mask
J) DSMB deployment without mask
K) Two divers no mask ascent while sharing gas
L) Remove and replace SCUBA at the surface
M) Tired diver/active victim tow - student 1
4. Debrief - Instructor and students debrief dive as a group
Dive 3: Critical Skills Training (20 - 60 feet of water)
1. Dive Planning - Instructor and students plan dive as a group.
2. Pre-Dive Safety Checks - Students will conduct pre-dive checks with instructor feedback.
3. New Skills: Skills performed while carrying a single deco bottle.
A) Time-controlled descent
B) Bottle passing drill during time-controlled movement
C) Weaker skill development
D) Skills practice
E) Tired diver/active victim tow - student 2
4. Debrief - Instructor and students debrief dive as a group
Dive 4: Critical Skills Training (20 - 60 feet of water)
1. Dive Planning - Instructor and students plan dive as a group.
2. Pre-Dive Safety Checks - Students will conduct pre-dive checks with instructor feedback.
3. New Skills: Skills performed while carrying a single deco bottle.
A) Time-controlled descent while performing Fundamental 5
B) Bottle passing drill
C) Weaker skills development
D) Skills practice
E) Suppine skills (tanks facing bottom)
F) Perpendicular skills (left and right side facing bottom)
4. Debrief - Instructor and students debrief dive as a group
Dive 5: Critical Skills Training (20 - 60 feet of water)
1. Dive Planning - Students plan dive with instructor feedback.
2. Pre-Dive Safety Checks - Students will conduct pre-dive checks with instructor feedback.
3. New Skills: Skills performed while carrying a single deco bottle.
A) Time-controlled descent while performing bottle passing drill
B) Use of primary line
C) Touch contact drill
D) No mask touch contact drill
E) Bottle passing drill
F) Bottle drop
G) Right post fixable failure with line
H) Left post fixable failure with line
I) Right post non-fixable failure with line
J) Left post non-fixable failure with line
K) Bottle pick up
L) Proper gas switching procedure
M) DSMB deployment
N) Time-controlled ascent
O) Unconscious diver rescue
P) Passive victim tow - student 1
4. Debrief - Students debrief dive with instructor feedback
Dive 6: Critical Skills Training (20 - 60 feet of water)
1. Dive Planning - Students plan dive with instructor feedback.
2. Pre-Dive Safety Checks - Students perform pre-dive checks with instructor feedback.
3. New Skills: Skills performed with single deco bottle.
A) Time-controlled descent (post failures on the move)
B) Stage bottle fixable failures
C) Reel and line work
D) Wing/BCD failures
E) Bottle passing drill
F) Buddy breathing from back gas
G) No mask buddy breathing
H) Remove and replace SCUBA underwater
I) Left post roll-off of donor during gas share
J) Gas switching
K) Deco bottle failure
L) Back gas failure
M) Buddy breathing from deco bottle
N) Unconscious diver rescue while buddy breathing from deco bottle
O) Passive victim tow - student 2
4. Debrief - Students debrief dive with instructor feedback
Dive 7: Critical Skills Training (20 - 60 feet of water)
1. Dive Planning - Instructor and students plan dive as a group.
2. Pre-Dive Safety Checks - Students will conduct pre-dive checks with instructor feedback.
3. New Skills: Skills performed while carrying a single deco bottle.
A) Time-controlled descent (post failures on the move)
B) Bottle passing drill
C) Weaker skills development
D) Skills practice
E) Toxing diver rescue - student 1
4. Debrief - Instructor and students debrief dive as a group
Dive 8: Critical Skills Training (20 - 60 feet of water)
1. Dive Planning - Instructor and students plan dive as a group.
2. Pre-Dive Safety Checks - Students will conduct pre-dive checks with instructor feedback.
3. New Skills: Skills performed while carrying a single deco bottle.
A) Time-controlled descent (post failures on the move)
B) Bottle passing drill
C) Weaker skills development
D) Skills practice
E) Toxing diver rescue - student 2
4. Debrief - Instructor and students debrief dive as a group
Dive 9: Decompression Diving Practice (80 - 100 feet of water)
1. Dive Planning - Students plan dive with instructor feedback
2. Pre-Dive Safety Checks - Students perform pre-dive checks with instructor feedback
3. Skills: Skills performed with single deco bottle
A) Normal descent rate
B) Students dive their plan
C) Instructor may initiate various failures
D) Call dive on planned bottom time
E) Gas switch
F) Execute planned deco schedule
4. Debrief - Students debrief dive with instructor feedback
Dive 10: Decompression Diving Practice (80 - 100 feet of water)
1. Dive Planning - Students plan dive with instructor feedback
2. Pre-Dive Safety Checks - Students perform pre-dive checks with instructor feedback
3. Skills: Skills performed with single deco bottle
A) Normal descent rate
B) Students dive their plan
C) Instructor may initiate various failures
D) Call dive on planned bottom time
E) Gas switch
F) Execute planned deco schedule
4. Debrief - Students debrief dive with instructor feedback
Dive 11: Decompression Practice (80 - 100 feet of water)
1. Dive Planning - Students plan dive with instructor feedback
2. Pre-Dive Checks - Students perform pre-dive checks with instructor feedback
3. Skills: Skills performed with single deco bottle
A) Normal descent rate
B) Students dive plan
C) Gas consumption rate baseline is calculated
D) Back gas non-fixable failure
E) Out of gas emergency to gas switch
F) Proper gas switch
G) Deco gas failure requiring lost gas schedule
4. Students debrief dive with instructor feedback
Dive 12: Decompression Practice (80 - 100 feet)
1. Dive Planning - Students plan dive with instructor feedback
2. Pre-Dive Safety Checks - Students perform pre-dive checks with instructor feedback
3. Skills: Skills performed with single deco bottle
A) Normal descent rate
B) Students dive their plan
C) Instructor may initiate various failures
D) Call dive on planned bottom time
E) Gas switch
F) Execute planned deco schedule
4. Debrief - Students debrief dive with instructor feedback
Dive 13: Decompression Dive Triox 30/30 with 50% Deco (100 feet of water)
1. Dive Planning - Students plan dive on their own without instructor feedback
2. Pre-Dive Safety Checks - Students perform pre-dive checks without instructor feedback
3. Skills: Instructor observes
A) Normal descent
B) Execute dive plan
C) Execute deco plan
4. Debrief - Students debrief dive with instructor feedback
Dive 14: Decompression Dive Triox 30/30 with 50% Deco (100 feet of water)
1. Dive Planning - Students and instructor plan dive as a team
2. Pre-Dive Safety Checks - Students and instructor perform proper pre-dive checks
3. Skills: Instructor is part of the team
A) Team performs normal descent
B) Team executes the dive plan
C) Team executes deco plan
4. Debrief - Team debriefs dive
Dive 15: Triox 25/25 with 100% oxygen (100 - 130 feet of water)
1. Dive Planning - Students plan dive with instructor as team member
2. Pre-Dive Safety Checks - Students perform pre-dive checks with instructor as team member
3. Skills:
A) Normal descent
B) Execute dive plan on back gas
C) Execute deco plan on oxygen
4. Debrief - Students debrief dive with instructor as team member
Dive 16: Triox 25/25 with 100% oxygen (100 - 130 feet of water)
1. Dive Planning - Students plan dive with instructor as team member
2. Pre-Dive Safety Checks - Students perform pre-dive checks with instructor as team member
3. Skills:
A) Normal descent
B) Execute dive plan on bottom stage
C) Execute deco plan on oxygen
4. Debrief - Students debrief dive with instructor as team member
Dive 17: Triox 21/35 with 50% deco gas (130 - 150 feet of water)
1. Dive Planning - Students plan dive with instructor as team member
2. Pre-Dive Safety Checks - Students perform pre-dive checks with instructor as team member
3. Skills:
A) Normal descent
B) Execute dive plan on back gas
C) Execute deco plan on Nitrox 50
4. Debrief - Students debrief dive with instructor as team member
Dive 18: Trimix 18/45 with 50% deco gas (150 feet of water)
1. Dive Planning - Students plan dive with instructor as team member
2. Pre-Dive Safety Checks - Students perform pre-dive checks with instructor as team member
3. Skills:
A) Normal descent
B) Execute dive plan on back gas
C) Execute deco plan on Nitrox 50
4. Debrief - Students debrief dive with instructor as team member
Written Examinations: Students must score 80% or better.
