PADI Trimix

[voidware]

I have it on very good authority (PADI Examiner and one of the leading course directors) that PADI is going to release a trimix course this fall or thereabouts. I wanted to know if anyone knows anything about it or has any opinions (I know you do...). Also rumor has it that the DSAT TecDeep diver is a better course than IANTD and TDI's equivalent (but i am going to get flamed for that), do you think that this course will fall into that category?

Brandon
PS: sorry for the abscense my course-load has killed me and i was working on my instructor

 

[Doppler]

I am unfamiliar with the course itself and so cannot comment; however, as is often mentioned, it's not the course, it's the instructor.

One thought that does creep in though is that a few years ago, a PADI course director told me that I was "stupid to believe that ordinary divers had the skills to handle any gas but air!" He basically went on to tell me I was going to kill someone if I continued in my "unprofessional" ways. He explained that PADI had all the answers and that conducting staged decompression dives would result in immediate death and dismemberment (well, something like that).

How times change.

DD

 

[MikeFerrara]

I was told by an educational consultant at PADI that they planned to introduce a trimix course this year.

 

[Big Bubbles]

I am taking the Dsat course right now and I think the course is done very well allthough it does depend on the instructor. This course must be very close to TDI's course because we are going to write the TDI exam as well and get a C card from them also. This course gives you intro to Trimix.

 

[WreckWriter]

Naui has, so Padi must also or lose market share. My guess is that it will be severely limited and will probably utilize weird mixes (like 80% for deco).

WW

 

[faye]

The dsat course seems to have the course totally laid out from begining to end. It's like an open water course except with more advanced skills. while the iantd and tdi seem to allow the instructor some more latitude as to the make up of the course and how he wants to teach it.

The padi course uses 100 for deco

 

[WreckWriter]

faye once bubbled...
The padi course uses 100 for deco

Only 100% or other mixes too?

WW

 

[Drew Sailbum]

Our regional PADI dude said that the Trimix course is set to roll out in summer. He then went on to clarify that "summer" equates to September in PADI-time.

Haven't seen it yet, but it will be interesting to compare it to other materials I've got from other agencies.

 

[MikeFerrara]

WreckWriter once bubbled...
Naui has, so Padi must also or lose market share. My guess is that it will be severely limited and will probably utilize weird mixes (like 80% for deco).

WW

Hasn't NAUI been in the tech stuff for a while? No doubt PADI has seen that "tech" has become more popular and they're interested in their share of the market.

From what I've seen of IANTD and TDI instructors PADI may have something to offer if they would only enforce their standards. Maybe the other agencies allow instructors to add things but it seems far more common for them to leave things out than add them. I theory a PADI course doesn't allow ommissions. IMO, tech training is no place to be leaving things out.

My argument with PADI (literally) is where do they expect to get tech students from? Certainly not from their Advanced classes? I am also an IANTD instructor and don't sell many Advanced Nitrox classes. The reason I don't sell them is the cost and the amount of time I quote to students. The fact is though that it is rare that I get a student who is ready to begin tech training. It seems like I have to teach most to dive before i can start anything tech.

IMO, No agency that fails to mention basics like trim and finning techniques in recreational training has any business teaching technical classes. Unfortunately I think that describes most agencies.

 

[ericfine50]

I am interested in seeing where they get the instructors from. For a long time it seems PADI has put out the message that only air, above 130 fsw is the only type of diving to do.

Eric