Should Instructors be teaching with Air II (or similar) Alternates?

[MauiScubaSteve]

I personally think instructors teaching with only an Air II Alternate are not prudent instructors. What do you all think?

 

[fisherdvm]

Some instructors are forced to teach AirII. Our local SSI shop only rent scubapro with air2, teach with the gear, and sell the gear in the shop.

I don't see it being much difference than the DIR divers who donate their primary.

 

[300bar]

I don't teach nor use a AIRII,but I do make my students aware of the fact that they do excist.
I'll show them differant types, and demonstrate how the work.

I.ve been using a SP AIRII in my early years.

 

[EDGE245277]

I would say it depends on the rest of the gear configuration. If the BC has several other dumps "shoulder and back at a minimum" that the diver can use to control bouancy while sharing air (not by removing alt air from mouth to vent) and the primary hose is long enough to share with the buddy safely. It is fine for a rec diver. I think they need to practice, practice, practice controlling boyancy using the multitude of dumps while breathing on the alt air source.

 

[24940]

I don't see an issue, but I believe in donating the primary. I do feel it is a disservice to avoid talking about the short comings of an airII.

I don't see it being much difference than the DIR divers who donate their primary.

We don't stick our inflator in our mouth during an OOA and our secondary is of equal quality to the primary. I had an airII and using it as a reg was ..... not ideal. I dived that system for about a year before transitioning to a long hose.

 

[300bar]

I don't see it being much difference than the DIR divers who donate their primary.

If this was the case,I would not have any problems with them.But I've done (more then I like)a buddycheck,where the owner of the AIRII or whatever,told me I was getting his/her AIRII in a OOA. Eversince, I don't trust their users.

 

[Isaac-1]

There is a long history to the Air II debate, much of it brought on back in the days when scubapro had an exclusive on the concept, and since the competetors could not copy it, they insead bashed the idea, right up until the point when the clones came out. As to teaching it exclusively, I feel it is more important than ever to cover both tradtional octopus systems and Air II like systems given the great variety that are on the market. However from a practical matter instructors are often limited by available class gear (usualy whatever the shop they work with sells). Having said all this the methods for use between these two products are very similar and don't neccessarily require "hands on" practice.

Ike
(inactive Instructor)

 

[24940]

If this was the case,I would not have any problems with them.But I've done (more then I like)a buddycheck,where the owner of the AIRII or whatever,told me I was getting his/her AIRII in a OOA. Eversince, I don't trust their users.

It's difficult enough holding the thing in my mouth and managing an ascent. It boggles my mind that someone would actually teach donating it over their primary.

 

[300bar]

It's difficult enough holding the thing in my mouth and managing an ascent. It boggles my mind that someone would actually teach donating it over their primary.

Ahh it's not that someone is teaching this,it has been the divers using it and NOT knowing HOW to use it.

 

[Walter]

While it's not the best choice, it's a perfectly fine choice in most situations. Frankly, there are other issues with classes that are much more important that most folks totally ignore.