DIR- GUE power inflator failure T1

[rjack321]

When was a BC power inflator failure removed from the T1 curriculum? And why? Embolism risk?

A friend recently took T1 and this failure was not taught or practiced...

 

[Jack Hammer]

When was a BC power inflator failure removed from the T1 curriculum? And why? Embolism risk?

A friend recently took T1 and this failure was not taught or practiced...

No idea, are you sure it was removed and not just omitted? That's a super valuable and real world skill. I would be surprised if it was officially dropped.

 

[rjack321]

No idea, are you sure it was removed and not just omitted? That's a super valuable and real world skill. I would be surprised if it was officially dropped.

It was never in the syllabus and "skill list" as far as I can recall so hard to know.
Since the official GUE forum never took off (5?) years ago I figured I would ask here to see if anyone knows.

 

[PfcAJ]

I don’t recall doing an inflator failure drill back when I took it circa 2007

 

[huwporter]

Nor me on T1 in 2009

(Although I had not one, but two, real inflator failures during T2 in 2012... incidentally also the last time I've bothered attempting to service a power inflator)

 

[rjack321]

hmmmmm it was in mine way back in 2005

 

[johnkendall]

Not a required skill, not sure it's ever been a required skill. Certainly wasn't when I took T1 in 2004, and hasn't been at any point I've been a T1 instructor.

Thanks
John

 

[kensuf]

Dealing with a stuck inflator isn't a part of the T1 curriculum? Huh.

 

[Hartattack]

Dealing with a stuck inflator isn't a part of the T1 curriculum? Huh.

I demonstrate and go over it in my OW course and again in my AOW course. Especially if they are a new student of mine. I'm not going to speak for all Rec instructors—but I would hope this would be a basic skill taught early on in a divers career.

 

[kensuf]

I demonstrate and go over it in my OW course and again in my AOW course. Especially if they are a new student of mine. I'm not going to speak for all Rec instructors—but I would hope this would be a basic skill taught early on in a divers career.

It's a required skill in the OW courses for the agencies that I teach through. However, an OW diver does not have a physiological ceiling and can go to the surface in the event there are problems with unplugging the inflator, which isn't that uncommon. A tech 1 diver could have a physiological ceiling to deal with, so ascending straight to the surface isn't an option.

The good news is dealing with a stuck inflator in doubles is pretty easy if your wing inflator is driven by your right post. Simply go head down, which raises your dump valve and gives you the ability to kick down if needed to maintain depth, then shut down your right post with your right hand while dumping air with your left hand. Once your right post is off, switch to your backup reg, manually inflate to neutral buoyancy, disconnect your LPI, then re-open your right post. It's really easy peasy.