Nitrox class - no dives/dives?

[Marie13]

This question was prompted by recently seeing a number of folks online saying their nitrox class required dives. I didn't even know that was a requirement until recently. My SDI class was all theory (e-learning) with a couple of hours in the shop for review and analyzing tanks. All the people I know who've done the class through PADI in the US say the same thing.

Who had a nitrox class that required dives? As far as I can tell, this might be be more of a non-US thing from the people who've said they've done nitrox class dives.

And why dives? It's not terribly complicated...once you know how to figure out your mod on the chart, analyze tanks, and set your computer for the specific %, it's just a matter of making sure you don't exceed your MOD on actual dives.

PADI - course description mentions two dives as optional or required.
Enriched Air Diver | PADI

SDI - no dives required
https://www.tdisdi.com/wp-content/u...cialty Standards_09_Computer_Nitrox_Diver.pdf

TDI Nitrox - no dives required
https://www.tdisdi.com/wp-content/u...idual/TDI Diver Standards_06_Nitrox_Diver.pdf

I love this bit from the TDI Nitrox course standards: Since entry level nitrox is essentially an informational and academic based course, no dives are specifically required as there are no skills to evaluate.

SSI - Dives optional
Enriched Air Nitrox

 

[flyboy08]

Not I?

 

[Tribal]

Mine did require 2 dives, its more about the predive briefing then the dives themself.

Cmas/Nelos

 

[TMHeimer]

I took it in '06 when I believe the 2 dives were required by PADI. But not with the instructor. We had to give him our dive profile, do the dives on our own, and tell him we did them. That was odd. I figured if the dives were important enough to do they were important enough to have the instructor with you. They were 30-40' shore dives. Curious.

 

[Sean Walberg]

Nitrox (Enriched Air Diver) | Diving Instruction | Rainbow Reef Dive Center | Key Largo, Florida Keys is an example of a class that is PADI and includes dives.

(Their in person class _with_ two dives is cheaper than my PADI LDS... I ended up doing my Nitrox with a local SDI shop since it was around a third of the price of the local PADI one)

 

[RainPilot]

A lot of shops do the course and then include dives to make the price tag more palatable. That can result in people thinking that these dives were required rather than optional. IME students very rarely actually look closely at the standards for courses. They are way more focused on the card and the dives they will be able to do after the course.

 

[Marie13]

A lot of shops do the course and then include dives to make the price tag more palatable. That can result in people thinking that these dives were required rather than optional. IME students very rarely actually look closely at the standards for courses. They are way more focused on the card and the dives they will be able to do after the course.

PADI doesn't have standards online. That's actually one of the reasons I prefer SDI/TDI - standards are online You just have to know where to look. I must be the exception then, because I've looked at the standards before I've signed up for every class, except for OW, when I looked at the standards after I was signed up.

 

[JackD342]

In the PADI Nitrox course, the dives can be simulated or actual. Of course the actual dives are likely to cost a bit more than the simulation. I could easily see someone that did the actual dives, perhaps on a live aboard, thinking they were required and not 1 of 2 options. If counting it towards PADI AOW, then one of them HAS to be done wet.

My recollection is that when I took the PADI course in 2008, using tables as there was not a computer option yet, that we were still able to do simulated dives and not actual dives. I also have a 2007 PADI Crewpack here that confirms that. So simulated has been an option for quite a while.

(Anyone want an old school PADI EAN crewpack with Tables? I have two!!)

 

[JackOfDiamonds]

Mine required 2 dives, most clubs here separate it into 2 courses but usually you do 1+2 at once. (1= up to 36%, 2= up to 40%).
One Nitrox dive for each "course", so 2 total.

I did mine with - IANTD

 

[Scuba Scott]

I think your poll may show when people were certified, not where.

When I did my TDI Nitrox course two dives and a lot of math was required. I don't know when they changed their requirement.

PADI required 2 dives up until the 2nd quarter 2006 training bulletin made the mandatory dives optional. I would guess the others changed somewhere around that time too.