Walter once bubbled...
ScubaDon,
There may not have been a standards violation at all. The class may have violated every standard in the book or the class may have followed standards to the letter. We simply do not know. This thread got off topic and dealt with altitude diving which should been covered by your instructor. OTOH, it is not required by the standards of any agency we've researched, so while your instructor should have covered it, not doing so is not a standards violation.
On the contrary, in talking with the lady from PADI it is a standard to cover altitude diving when the class is being taught at altitude or will be doing OW certs at altitude. In fact the lady I spoke with had been to the dive site which we did our OW certification and said she knew about the mountain pass and elevation that I was talking about and that should have been discussed. She told me that the comment that bothered her the most was what the reply was when we asked about altitude diving. The instructor told us that if they talked about that they would have to charge us for another class.
Walter once bubbled... Your original complaint didn't focus on the absence of altitude instruction, but on your "lack of skills." You stated, "My dive buddy and I thought w had a pretty good class." You were satisfied with your instruction until you compared at a later date..
True......How were we to know until we got into the real world and started diving and I attended my sons classes. We had nothing to compare our instsruction or skills to. In class you are directed in a specific direction and you do what you can to achieve some sort of proficiency in those skills and move on to the next thing that is presented. If you don't know otherwise you think you did pretty good. Your instructor says you did good naturally you think you did as well, not having anything to compare to we leave the class feeling we're ready. I I originally stated, we were happy with our class until we saw otherwise. I told the lady I talked with from PADI that the instructors were very personable and we really enjoyed being in the class and they made it enjoyable. But that didn't make up for the skills that were left out................which leads to the following question
I don't believe you ever mentioned in what skills you are lacking. What (other than instruction in altitude diving) was left out of the class that you believe should have been included?
Let's see where to start........Altitude, proper weighting, fin kicks, water entries, learned the giant stride, controlled emergency ascents, learned the thing swimming the length of the pool to simulate it, my son did his OW this last weekend and he even learned how to drop his weights and flare his body to control his ascent, never did that! Let's see, did lots of mask clearing, in pool and open water. There were just lots of little things that add up to make you more prepared. I felt I was prepared for that first dive without my instructor but found out otherwise, luckily there was a class there certifying and the instructor took pity on me and helped me with several things. [/QUOTE]
It may be that you were ripped off. It may also be that you did receive exactly the class for which you paid.
Nope, paid for the OW certification, which is to get me ready to be a safe diver. That it was not. Funny how all six people in the class are in agreement on that issue.
your class did not meet standards, I feel confident PADI will take action.
Not sure about that, we'll see. She already told me that the class did not meet standards on the altitude issue.