SSI starts new tech training program.

[Tassi Devil Diver]

I completed the old SSI Deco course in early 2006, I was waiting for the new course to come out but kept on being delayed. My instructor was going OS for 12 months so wanted to get it done before he left. Hopefully the course material is better presented. For things like gear set up and configuration I got that from other reference material before i started the course.

Will be interesting to see what depth limit they put on for air, the course I did took us to 55m and was the equivalent of the TDI extended range in the one course. I found this a little too deep on air for me especially considering the conditions we did our course in low vis, cold water, and some current. Would have been fine in the tropics.

Cheers
Devil Diver

 

[rjack321]

55m on air is rather antiquated for a new program to adopt IMO. Esp. considering the "new wave" of recreational trimix classes.

 

[krcollins]

Rick,

I'm wondering where the instructors are coming from. Is SSI crossing over tech instructors from other agencies or growing their own through a ITC program or both?

 

[MikeFerrara]

I just glanced at the standards but it looks like the "deep air" (whatever the SSI name for it) course is required prior to trimix. I won't go so far as to say that it's antiquated but there are other options available.

Overall, I don't see much that's very different from what's already out there. One thing that caught my eye is that it doesn't look like you need very much technical diving experience to be a tech instructor. There are other agencies who have that same issue. A prospective student just needs to be careful they get an instructor who didn't just run to the local quarry and do 20 or 30 "decompression" dives to qualify and then start teaching.

Unless I read it wrong the student prerequisits looked pretty light too.

Oh well, " technical" diving is getting more popular. As it does, it's only expected that all the agencies will get in on it. then too, it's not like the "tech" agencies have done such a great job that there isn't room for competition.

 

[Rick Murchison]

Rick,

I'm wondering where the instructors are coming from. Is SSI crossing over tech instructors from other agencies or growing their own through a ITC program or both?

Both.
Rick

 

[Rick Murchison]

I just glanced at the standards but it looks like the "deep air" (whatever the SSI name for it) course is required prior to trimix. I won't go so far as to say that it's antiquated but there are other options available.

There is no requirement anywhere in the SSI course to go deep on air, nor is it encouraged. It isn't prohibited, however. Flexibility...
Rick

 

[Rick Murchison]

55m on air is rather antiquated for a new program to adopt IMO. Esp. considering the "new wave" of recreational trimix classes.

Lest there be any doubt:
SSI does not require any deep air diving in the TechXR syllabus.
SSI has a training depth maximum for Nitrox (including air) of 50M/165FSW.
Rick

 

[Meng_Tze]

I glanced the materials yesterday (both instructor and student work books) and must say that it looks good. Very well laid out, more (not too deep, but definitely there) science behind things (IBCD, narcosis, HPNS etc), good calculation examples in metric and imperial. What did strike me is that it is made up of several modules and seemingly takes a student from Nitrox to Normoxic trimix. All that in the course of a few days? Not sure if this course is intended/can be broken up into the individual sections and taught separately. There are also some sections about line and overhead's (cavern zone). I didnt see any specific part on finning techniques (maybe I missed it).

I cant wait until my local shop gets certified to teach and run with a class.

But the material is put together very well and the layout and drawings/pictures and tables can be an example to other agencies.

 

[Rick Murchison]

I glanced the materials yesterday (both instructor and student work books) and must say that it looks good. Very well laid out, more (not too deep, but definitely there) science behind things (IBCD, narcosis, HPNS etc), good calculation examples in metric and imperial. What did strike me is that it is made up of several modules and seemingly takes a student from Nitrox to Normoxic trimix. All that in the course of a few days? Not sure if this course is intended/can be broken up into the individual sections and taught separately. There are also some sections about line and overhead's (cavern zone). I didnt see any specific part on finning techniques (maybe I missed it).

I cant wait until my local shop gets certified to teach and run with a class.

But the material is put together very well and the layout and drawings/pictures and tables can be an example to other agencies.

See post #3 above
Rick

 

[letterboy]

Hey Rich glancing over the Standards it says the instructor can have a "certified technical assistant" but I couldn't find any standard for there training, any idea on where that would be hidden?