The issue (discussions on SB) has to be conducted in the context of major training agencies. In respect of recreational training, IANTD is hardly a 'major' agency.
It is, however, a long-standing technical focused agency. No prizes for seeing the link between 'expanded' recreational diving and the convenient progression into their tech program.
Which of their 'recreational' or 'sport' courses actually qualify for 50% O2 and ~10 mins deco? The Advanced Nitrox course?
Every tec agency has AN, or equivalent. The rest of them classify that as part of their tech range, rather than rec. IANTD are now going with the word sport? So basically, they are using the word to differentiate with commercial, military or scientific diving (everything else - leisure diving - is 'sport')?
For example: blah blah blah
So, as far as I can see, quite a few of you are now no longer able to read all the words I type, or you now can not comprehend the entire wording.
For starters, IAN
TD has only been in existence for 19 years. I started scuba diving 26 years before IANTD was formed. To me it is not necessarily long-standing. 10 years ago, when I became a scuba instructor, these were the first four entries on the Standards page titled Definitions and Terms used by IANTD (page 11);
IANTD 2001:
Recreational Diving - all forms of diving intended for recreational purposes or instruction of recreational divers, in which the diver has the option to dive. This includes both the most popular form of recreational diving, sport diving; as well as technical diving, which is an advanced form of recreational diving.
Sport Diving - the most common form of recreational diving. Sport diving is performed using either air or Nitrox mixtures up to 50% oxygen on dives no deeper than 130 feet (39 meters).Sport divers may not engage in dives requiring a total of more than 10 minutes of decompression time, or dives with stops deeper than 20 feet (6 meters).
Technical Diving - an advanced form of recreational diving utilizing skills techniques, equipment and knowledge beyond the requirements of sport diving Technical diving includes, but is not limited to, dives deeper than 130 feet (39 meters), dives into overhead environments beyond a visible exit point, dives using mixed gas (in addition to sport diving EANx mixtures) and dives requiring staged decompression.
Commercial Diving - a form of diving, excluding instruction, where the diver works for hire and his/her employment depends on a willingness to dive.
In that 2001 IANTD Sport Diving Manual, just inches from the keyboard I am typing on, page 13 of Standards is the beginning of Sport Diver Programs, page 49 is the beginning of Technical Diver Programs, and page 29 is the Standards page for Advanced EANx Diver.
My post you seem to be arguing against does not contain the argument you are arguing against. You need to re-read that post; I have not mistyped. By the 2001 IANTD Standards, Advanced EANx Diver was not a Technical diving certification, it was a Sport diving certification. You may also need to re-read the IANTD quote you post because I read Sport diving and Technical diving as separate there as well.
Now, from the 2001 IANTD Advanced EANx Diver Standards page (page 29).
IANTD 2001:
E. Equipment Requirements
....1. A safety or decompression gas cylinder (if used), rigged as either a pony or stage cylinder. Gas cylinders must be oxygen clean and oxygen serviceable where needed.
F. Program Limits
....1. There may be no more than 4 students per instructor. This ratio may be increased by 2 for each assisting DM, up to max 8 students
....2. No dives may be conducted to depths greater than 130 feet (39 meters).
....3. All dives must be conducted using EANx (maximum 40% oxygen). A higher EANx (maximum 50% oxygen) may be used at the decompression or safety stops.
....4. All appropriate safety or decompression stops must be performed.
....5. Decompression stops are limited to a maximum of 10 minutes and 20 feet (6 meters).
I did not maintain my active IANTD status for many years, as my PADI OWSI was all that was necessary to maintain dive instructor employment in Hawaii, so I do not know when IANTD Standards changed, but there are for sure IANTD Advanced EANx divers who were certified during the years these Standards were in effect and those divers most likely don't consider their IANTD Advanced EANx Diver certification to be a Technical diving certification, because IANTD didn't consider it to be a Technical diving certification.
Hence the last part of my post you argue nowhere against.
halemanō;6114872:
So it seems there could be more than a few divers out there, even in North America, who do not consider themselves Tech divers, but have equivalent training to divers who consider themselves Tech divers.
It seems there could be divers for whom letting their Suunto computer show an ASC time of 17 minutes @ 130' is not a violation of their non Tech training.
After being certified to the level of IANTD Advanced EANx Divers, is a single air cylinders buddy team not diving within their non Tech training @ 130' with less than 18 minutes ASC time showing on both divers Suunto Viper computers?
Further more, if you click on the IANTD web link you provide, and then click on Technical, Advanced EANx is not listed on the Technical page.
