PADI Enriched Air Certification.... a little fishy.

[billgraham]

115 + 33/33 = 4.48.

1.4/4.48 = .312 or 31. Max time at 1.4 = 150 minutes. Takes longer to argue about not needing to learn it than it does to learn it.

 

[stevenkimbell]

I just complete the EAN course a couple weeks ago. I felt pretty cheated really. The course plus material was almost $200.00. All it covered was in the book - no dives, and the air sampler didnt work so we didnt really get to see it in action. (THis is no big deal to me, I have some training as an Industrial Hygienist and have used a variety of sampling devices.) Basically, the course covered the standard 32 and 36 mixes, how to set your computer and the effects of oxygen saturation. It was so simple and basic it should be a part of the standard open water course.

 

[sealsix14]

Yeah the PADI EAN course was pretty useless to me ( I mean it was good getting to analyze your tank but not too much info as I would of liked). Not because I don't need Nitrox...I do, but I recently finished my online TDI advanced Nitrox class (Not the dives yet but just the course material) and that class is much more in-depth and is what I think most divers diving Nitrox should take. It provides a great background in diving with Enriched Air and the dangers of it, along with the mathematics and tables needed to properly plan dives with Nitrox. If you don't want to take the class, at least pick up the TDI books either on Diving with Nitrox, or the Advanced Nitrox book. Their waterproof tables are also very useful.

 

[drrich2]

...I recently finished my online TDI advanced Nitrox class (Not the dives yet but just the course material) and that class is much more in-depth and is what I think most divers diving Nitrox should take.

I suspect that at least amongst U.S. divers on dive vacations to the Caribbean, that most are doing rec. dives on EAN 32 and inputting their mix into their dive computer, then just taking care to avoid staying past NDL limits. No tables. Multilevel coral reef dives, back on the boat or shore with 500 PSI, not the kind of planning someone diving the Oriskany or another deep dive with more defined structure might do.

Putting aside all intellectual interest/curiosity, would the TDI advanced nitrox class actually change much, practically speaking, about the way most divers dive nitrox?

Richard.

 

[sealsix14]

I see your point, and I think your right when It comes to the most users of Nitrox. I don't think It would change the way most people use it, but personally I think the more you know the more prepared you are to plan your dives.

But like you said, they aren't planning on doing anything complex. I guess I Just enjoy knowing where we get a lot of the information we use today. Thats why I found the Deco Procedures class/Adv Nitrox class very informative.

 

[ffdiver]

Putting aside all intellectual interest/curiosity, would the TDI advanced nitrox class actually change much, practically speaking, about the way most divers dive nitrox?

Richard.

I honestly don't believe there is a reason to split up the nitrox and advanced nitrox course. Its a higher percentage O2. The formulas don't change and your diving doesn't change. Planning is the same. Everything from the advanced nitrox course aside from accelerated decompression is basically the same between the two courses.

 

[drrich2]

Higher percentage O2? Would this then mean that, unlike the standard nitrox course, you'd be teaching for mixes that mainstream gear (e.g.: regulators) isn't appropriate for ( I haven't done advanced nitrox so I don't know)? The only gear issue with mainstream nitrox is the advisement that only oxygen-cleaned tanks marked for nitrox be used for nitrox, to prevent infusion of pure oxygen triggering a volatile reaction with contaminants that might otherwise be present. Even then, I see on the forum some believe pre-mixed (banked I think it's called) EAN 32 is okay to put in a regular tank, since you're not putting highly concentrated O2 into it.

Also, you mentioned accelerated decompression. Decompression is mainly only dealt with in mainstream rec. diving as something to avoid, and with 3 minute 15 foot safety stops recommended for deep dives.

Would decompression material & different gear requirements not complicate things for a lot of people who won't use it?

I realize the 'what's the least we can get away with teaching, the fastest we can shoot people through a course without anything bad happening' mentality irks some.

Richard.

 

[sealsix14]

This was my original thinking, Before I took the PADI EAN, I had already gotten the TDI books because I knew I was going to take it eventually and wanted to learn all I could and I went ahead and studied up on MOD, EAD, and other formulas. So when I went and took the class, I was quite surprised and disappointed when they covered putting it in your computer and following the limits of the computer. Because what if someone is just using a Bottom Timer and not a Nitrox compatible computer? I think they assume most people these days use one. But I still think knowing the formulas and theory behind it can help out.

 

[ffdiver]

I'm not saying that learning advanced nitrox as part of a deco procedures course isn't valuable. But realistically, you learn what you need to know about nitrox from a regular nitrox course. I took my basic nitrox course with tables and formulas not just pop it into your computer. Nitrox is nitrox. The rules of diving nitrox don't really change.

I guess what i'm trying to say that if you dive 40% or 60% the principals are still the same. I'm not trying to get away with teaching students the minimum. I just didn't see any difference between nitrox and advanced nitrox, when it came to formulas and dive planning. I hope that makes sense.

 

[billgraham]

This was my original thinking, Before I took the PADI EAN, I had already gotten the TDI books because I knew I was going to take it eventually and wanted to learn all I could and I went ahead and studied up on MOD, EAD, and other formulas. So when I went and took the class, I was quite surprised and disappointed when they covered putting it in your computer and following the limits of the computer. Because what if someone is just using a Bottom Timer and not a Nitrox compatible computer? I think they assume most people these days use one. But I still think knowing the formulas and theory behind it can help out.

I know they can. Another example, you've got 34% for your 100 foot dive and the destination gets changed on the boat to a wreck at 115 feet. Can you do the dive? If a diver understands what's actually going on, he/she can avoid a problem instead of waiting for their computer to start flashing/beeping at them.