My wife and I got certified last summer (PADI OW, AOW and we have completed the requirements for a "Master Scuba" card). She took a "gas management" class last fall before taking Fundies. As she put it this morning, I've absorbed a fair amount of her training by osmosis (or more honestly, force feeding) and I'm looking forward to my "Essentials" class next month in part for the information about gas management and deco theory. OK.
This led me to questions regarding "gas management" and when do the various agencies teach it -- assuming they do? In our "deep" specialty, WE brought up the gas management issue during our dive brief and it was discussed, but it wasn't a subject until we brought it up.
I took a look through the PADI "Encyclopedia" and couldn't find a word about it. I don't recall any information from either the OW or AOW books about the subject. Do any of the other OW/AOW agencies have this topic as a standard part of their curriculum?
OR, to ask the question another way, WHEN should "gas management" be taught to new divers? At what point should a diver be expected to know about "rock bottom time", "turn pressure", and the various other ideas that make up the notion of "gas management" (note, I'm quite content to say I don't know much about this so if what I'm writing isn't quite right, chalk it up to my ignorance which is an example of my point). And if a new diver wanted to learn about this, where does she turn to get the information or even to find out she doesn't know enough to ask the questions of her instructor on how to "create the plan and dive the plan."
This is NOT a PADI, or any other agency, bash. I like the idea that PADI and the others have opened the seas to the masses. Yes this can be a dangerous sport, but, to be honest, it isn't very dangerous in most recreational situations. And, at least as far as I can tell, the vast majority of people can dive safely without knowing anything about planning how much gas they need to make their dive (if only because the equipment is so safe) so maybe it isn't really much of an issue for the typical recreational diver.
This led me to questions regarding "gas management" and when do the various agencies teach it -- assuming they do? In our "deep" specialty, WE brought up the gas management issue during our dive brief and it was discussed, but it wasn't a subject until we brought it up.
I took a look through the PADI "Encyclopedia" and couldn't find a word about it. I don't recall any information from either the OW or AOW books about the subject. Do any of the other OW/AOW agencies have this topic as a standard part of their curriculum?
OR, to ask the question another way, WHEN should "gas management" be taught to new divers? At what point should a diver be expected to know about "rock bottom time", "turn pressure", and the various other ideas that make up the notion of "gas management" (note, I'm quite content to say I don't know much about this so if what I'm writing isn't quite right, chalk it up to my ignorance which is an example of my point). And if a new diver wanted to learn about this, where does she turn to get the information or even to find out she doesn't know enough to ask the questions of her instructor on how to "create the plan and dive the plan."
This is NOT a PADI, or any other agency, bash. I like the idea that PADI and the others have opened the seas to the masses. Yes this can be a dangerous sport, but, to be honest, it isn't very dangerous in most recreational situations. And, at least as far as I can tell, the vast majority of people can dive safely without knowing anything about planning how much gas they need to make their dive (if only because the equipment is so safe) so maybe it isn't really much of an issue for the typical recreational diver.
