Question Practicing Out Of Air ascent: good idea, or bad idea ?

[Beau Holden]

Then you are in the camp of eliminate CESA being taught I assume.

I am. CESA is a bailout procedure no one should ever get into.

In my opinion, there is much more value in teaching students how not to run out of gas. Teaching good gas planning and management, proper cleaning and maintaining gear, good buoyancy skills, good fining skills, doing air sharing drills, good situational awareness skills.

 

[TMHeimer]

I am. CESA is a bailout procedure no one should ever get into.

In my opinion, there is much more value in teaching students how not to run out of gas. Teaching good gas planning and management, proper cleaning and maintaining gear, good buoyancy skills, good fining skills, doing air sharing drills, good situational awareness skills.

Yes, that's all been said about gas management and I think we all agree. You SHOULDN'T ever need to CESA.
I imagine it is taught primarily in case of catastrophic failure as opposed to going OOA, which has also been addressed. What do you do then if you are diving solo or separated from buddy?

 

[happy-diver]

I have spent most of my divng life single tank solo
Should I retrace my steps and go OOA for practice

 

[CT-Rich]

when I learned to drive, I was taught to steer into a skid if I lost control of the car. At no time in my training did they say "let's give that a try". It just too dangerous for being part of the active curriculia. CESA is the same way. There are special cases where it is practiced, like submarine schools escape trunks. But for the average diver, knowing the principle and being aware of it's risks and benefits is plenty.

 

[Beau Holden]

What do you do then if you are diving solo or separated from buddy?

A complete failure of all systems is very unlikely in the first place. If solo single tank open water, i will have a 40 slung to go to if needed and I know how of that 40 I need to get back. I will not solo in overhead. If on a trip, its up to me to have the awareness of where my buddy is and to have an honest predive discussion. if that person does not comply, then no dive. again gas management has to play into the plan. Some people do not like to dive with me, because I do not hold to the rule and guess the 500 back on the boat. Its how much gas at max depth do we, i, need to get back on the boat. This can and will change as the depth of the dive changes. This is part of the situational awareness plan (training). If its a local trip, then I am in doubles. If the operator does not like doubles, then I find another. If I was not in doubles, then the 40 goes back into the plan depending on location. When i was diving the Great Lakes, it was doubles, single with 40 slung. If buddy was lost, then end the dive and surface solo. Been in Erie with five foot vis and had to do that. Learn how to manage free flow and practice it. We could go into so much, but it all comes down to, learn how to not run out of gas.

 

[L13]

There are special cases where it is practiced, like submarine schools escape trunks.

At least in the 90's, This was considered too dangerous for submariners to practice. (in my 8 years in the navy on submarines, never once practiced an actual escape trunk exit wet, we did dry runs).

Of course, I think most people underestimate the microscopic fraction of the ocean from which an escape trunk exit is even theoretically survivable. Your best bet was to use it as an airlock to a DSRV.

 

[MidOH]

If you can't figure out how to make a practice CESA perfectly safe, that's something you might want to analyze.

You cant spit out your reg, and safely go up 40 feet, then put your reg back in?

 

[boulderjohn]

I am. CESA is a bailout procedure no one should ever get into.

In my opinion, there is much more value in teaching students how not to run out of gas. Teaching good gas planning and management, proper cleaning and maintaining gear, good buoyancy skills, good fining skills, doing air sharing drills, good situational awareness skills.

A joint PADI/DAN study of dive fatalities about 10 years ago found that the most common accidental (not health related) cause of death was an embolism following a panicked ascent to the surface, often after an out of air incident. It is assumed the divers held their breath on those ascents. In other words, they tried a buoyant ascent in an emergency and did it incorrectly.

So what do you think will happen to those numbers if agencies stop teaching how to do it altogether?

BTW, they are already teaching how not to run out of gas, so I assume you are going to say they should just do a better job of that.

 

[The Chairman]

Is it considered a bad idea, or a good one, to practice Out Of Air ascents

It's a bad idea. It shouldn't even be taught in class. Concentrate on gas management instead. Since I started using an SPG, I have never run out of gas.

 

[MidOH]

I recall being taught to CESA properly in the classroom.

Dont recall practicing it. Did that myself. Starting easy, 15' up to my safety stop.