PADI Age requirement for Nitrox

[Hawkwood]

Peter, I will disagree a bit with you too. I believe it is incumbent on an Instructor to be aware of the current standard for the courses which they are entitled to teach.

In the case of this example, changes to enriched air, they were provided to all PADI members via the 3rd Quarter 2011 Training Bulletin found in the Underwater Journal and on the Pro website, along with a number of other Standards changes. Perhaps some instructors do not read those?

Read the TR, note what applies to you and make those changes. It seems to be very simple.

In my other life, I must know what the current applicable regulatory guidelines are when I assess my results against guidelines. It is my responsibility to check what those guidelines are. Changes are announced and published. If I mess up and do not use current guidelines, my defence cannot be "I did not know", because I should have known.

 

[Rogersea]

I could have sworn that the minimum age requirement from PADI for enriched air was 15...Now I'm seeing on their site it's 12. When did this happen? My fam is heading to Provo for 18 days of diving. If my daughter (13yo, AOW/Rescue) can get the cert there all the better. It's just that EVERY outfit there has a min age requirement of 15....Hmmmmm.

--D

How interesting, have you emailed the dive centers in T/C to check??? If they are aware of the recent changes I am sure that they will accomodate...

Cheers,
Roger

 

[Peter Guy]

Hawkwood -- I may confess to being a "bit lazy" here (not to mention generally bored to tears with PADI's U.S.J.). I do not peruse the IM, or the U.S.J. to find all of the bits and pieces for every class I'm eligible to teach just on the off chance I may teach it some day. BUT, if I do plan on teaching a class, yes, I do go back through the most current I.M. to confirm that I am up to date on everything.

Perhaps it is just because of my "advanced age" but I generally don't want to be bogged down with details that are not at all relevant to my life.

BTW, when I was practicing law, I didn't devour EVERY case in the Advanced Sheets either. I read those that interested me and IF I had a legal question, I would make sure there was nothing new under the sun (at least I would try to make sure).

 

[Hawkwood]

Peter, my point is that the information is readily available, yet the OP's instructor was adamant regarding the minimum age and wrong, despite the ease of where to find the information:

"...I brought up the new standard, and the instructor was adamant that the standard was still 15. I then offered a "small wager" to those in the room who were vocally in disagreement (insert sound track "For a few dollars more" here!). The instructor disappeared for a few moments and came back with his 'official' on-line instructor print-out that indeed still showed 15. He wouldn't bend! He stated HIS liability starts and stops with the instructor manual AND the requirements associcated with that section of PADI...."

This instructor does not know how or where to find the "current" information. That should be a concern for someone.

Bill

 

[dumpsterDiver]

My kid has been using nitrox for 3 years (since 10 yrs old)...Glad to hear that that he is now "legal"...

 

[RockRover]

Interesting twist to this saga...Out of curiosity I logged onto the PADI web-site and sure enough the front page for 'specialty certifications' clearly show 12yo being the minimum age requirement for enriched air. Then I dove (pun intended) into the e-learning side of the web-site and in the requirements section before you "buy" they clearly state course minimum age is 15...No exceptions. The price is $205 and then they mention that there may be additional cost for your check-out dive(s) with an LDS or resort. I'm hearing now that OW check-out is no longer a requirement for the cert (?). Man...This is deep. I can understand the cost *IF* OW check-out is no longer required, but combined is a bit much considering average $ for the course, including OW, is $180 in my area...$150 in others I've checked....But I digress.

I get the fact that it sometimes takes time to update all the jots/tiddles associated with web-site maintenance, and it doesn't bug me in the least. That's me however, and I know how to use a phone to get clarification from the source. Others however...???

 

[Hawkwood]

Yeah, the dives have been optional for a long time now.

 

[Peter Guy]

Hawk -- we agree the particular instructor in question did NOT meet "my" standard and clearly didn't know PADI's!