Should PADI change Advanced Open Water Diver Standards?

[stimpy4242]

I am begining to realize that one of two things are wrong with the PADI advanced open water diver certification.

Either the title is wrong or the standards are wrong.

If the title is wrong, then the standards are fine. Perhaps we should change the title to Adventure Diver. I know that is the title for only completing like three of the adventure dives. Maybe that should be the title for completing the two required, deep and nav and three more. I find it really un-nerving that someone is to be labeled an advanced open water diver with only 9 dives under there belt, 4 of which were there checkouts and the other five from the next class.

If the title is right, then we need to change the standards to express some type of experience. either 25 logged dives, or 20. I know master scuba diver is 50, maybe even that should be higher. Or require that they actually get the distinct specialties of deep and navigation, meaning all the dives that go with each of them.

What do you all think?

 

[Walter]

I think PADI is happy with it like it is. It sells, why should they change it? If you want a real Advanced class, you have to take LA County's Advanced Diver Program, YMCA's Silver Advanced or look for an instructor that greatly exceeds standards.

 

[jimdiverman]

I believe we just beat this to death a month or so ago in another thread. It wasn't a poll, but we certainly discussed this issue at length.

I guess this really becomes a marketing problem for PADI. How much money do people spend on SCUBA with us every year, and of that, how much do they spend on training, and will they continue to get training past AOW if we tighten the requirements, or will people stop at OW then and how will that change affect the number of OW diving fatalities? Will dive ops honor the new granularity in certifications if we add more levels? Will it affect pricing? Will it affect availability of dives due to further classification?

I'm not saying that something can't be done to change things, but you can see how the butterfly flapping its wings in South America can cause things to happen elsewhere. Someone at PADI will want to study this and think about it. Maybe that is being done now.

 

[pir8]

I would say that Walter is correct that PADI has no need or desire to change its course. Of course you could take a PDIC AOW as an alternative.

 

[garyfotodiver]

Or do the SSI AOW course...

There is more than one way to skin a cat.

 

[Divedoggie]

I would like to see more knowledge of physics, physiology, equipment, and environment, required as a foundation in the classroom. The knowledge should be tested. A confined water session dealing with technique, buoyancy, and fundamentals should be added.

As we know, PADI then requires 5 dives. 3 of these must be U/W navigation, Peak Performance Bouyancy, and Deep Diver. The student can choose the other 2 dives based on interests.
PADI provides a baseline of requirements for the introduction to each specialty. A committed instructor can provide more technique and detailed training with requirements as they are.
A student who completes the course should emerge a better and more enlightened diver than when she started the course.

Is an Advanced Open Water Diver really advanced? Generally? No.
It depends on how much diving experience the student already has when she takes the course.

The course by design encourages a student to take specialties and rescue. It whets the appetite.
The student benefits by con-ed with more supervised dives, and more general instruction. The Instructor benefits with more courses to teach, and the LDS benefits. Of course, PADI does too. Its good business.

The PADI MasterDiver is actually more accurately descriptive of an 'advanced diver' with 50 required dives, AOW, Rescue, and 5 specialties.

Just an opinion... I'd be willing to change it with urging.

 

[maxguru]

As we know, PADI then requires 5 dives. 3 of these must be U/W navigation, Peak Performance Bouyancy, and Deep Diver. The student can choose the other 2 dives based on interests.

Not correct. the PADI AOW certification requires 5 dives, but only 2 of the 5 are chosen by PADI. Those two must be Deep and Underwater Navigation. The student may choose the remaining 3 from any of the adventure dives.

Max Gilbert
PADI MSDT 198186

 

[pir8]

While I don't require PPB I do strongly reccommend it. Especially if you are a newer diver.

 

[Walter]

Or do the SSI AOW course...

There is more than one way to skin a cat.

SSI does not have an AOW course.

 

[Thalassamania]

SSI does not have an AOW course.

Instead they have:

SSI ADVANCED ADVENTURER

Directly after the Open Water course Advanced Adventurer is the entry to continuing education, especially for those divers who cannot decide which specialty courses they want to learn. During the Advanced Adventurer Program you will have the chance to try out 5 different specialties. You will complete one open water training dive per specialty in order to get a better understanding for each specialty area.

Sounds familiar.