Your Top 3 Advanced Questions.

[DevonDiver]

1) What is your total gas consumption for a dive to XX meters, for a duration of XX minutes, based on your personal SAC rate?

2a) How much air is contained within a cylinder of XX capacity? Of this air, how much is available for diving, when allowing for a reserve of:

i) 500psi / 50 bar?
ii) 1/3 reserve (rule of thirds)?

2b) Given a SAC rate of XX, and an accelerated (emergency) SAC rate of XXX, how long would this air (calculate main and reserve durations separately) last at a depth of:

i) 18m/60ft.
Dive Gas- Normal SAC = mins/ Accelerated SAC = mins.
Reserve - Normal SAC = mins/ Accelerated SAC = mins.
ii) 30m
Dive Gas- Normal SAC = mins/ Accelerated SAC = mins.
Reserve - Normal SAC = mins/ Accelerated SAC = mins.
iii) 40m
Dive Gas- Normal SAC = mins/ Accelerated SAC = mins.
Reserve - Normal SAC = mins/ Accelerated SAC = mins.

3) Given a personal SAC of XX, and a cylinder capacity of XX, and a personal SAC rate of XX, what would be the maximum bottom time for a dive to XX meters? (500psi/50bar reserve) What is the limiting factor in the bottom time?

 

[Divedoggie]

Have them explain why the Chart on KR 1, question 5, is the key to all of Scuba diving. If they REALLY understand all that comes from the chart, then they know the basics of:

a. Buoyancy compensation;

b. Safe ascents;

c. Safe descents;

d. Gas management; and on and on.

This could be either a multiple choice or essay question (but much better as an essay question!).

All of the questions have been formatted as mult/choice or True/False. I suppose there should be a couple essay questions too. This is a great suggestion. Its kind of diving's Rosetta Stone.

 

[TSandM]

I think the best questions would be scenario questions. For example:

1. You are on a boat in Molokini crater. The dive guide is describing the dive, which involves visiting garden eels at 130 feet. You are diving an aluminum 80. Is this dive a good idea or not? Defend your answer with specifics (decompression, gas, etc.)

2. You are diving off a friend's boat at a site which is current-sensitive. The boat is anchored. There is a moderate breeze blowing. Describe the factors you should take into consideration for planning this dive. (Location and identifying characteristics of the lie of the anchor; direction to work the dive to ensure an easy return to the boat if you have to surface early or can't find the anchor; tag lines; manned or unattended boat)

3. You are meeting up at a local dive site with a visiting SB diver. You have never dived together before, and the diver hasn't ever dived the site. Go through the dive planning, briefing, gear and buddy check you would do before diving. (Site info, buddy separation protocols, communications, checking weight systems, etc.)

I think questions that make the student integrate the information are much better than a single question that says, "What's the rock bottom for this dive?" It's too easy to knee-jerk out those answers.

(BTW, the things in parentheses are the answers you're looking for, not cues in the question)

 

[Divedoggie]

1) What is your total gas consumption for a dive to XX meters, for a duration of XX minutes, based on your personal SAC rate?

2a) How much air is contained within a cylinder of XX capacity? Of this air, how much is available for diving, when allowing for a reserve of:

i) 500psi / 50 bar?
ii) 1/3 reserve (rule of thirds)?

2b) Given a SAC rate of XX, and an accelerated (emergency) SAC rate of XXX, how long would this air (calculate main and reserve durations separately) last at a depth of:

i) 18m/60ft.
Dive Gas- Normal SAC = mins/ Accelerated SAC = mins.
Reserve - Normal SAC = mins/ Accelerated SAC = mins.
ii) 30m
Dive Gas- Normal SAC = mins/ Accelerated SAC = mins.
Reserve - Normal SAC = mins/ Accelerated SAC = mins.
iii) 40m
Dive Gas- Normal SAC = mins/ Accelerated SAC = mins.
Reserve - Normal SAC = mins/ Accelerated SAC = mins.

3) Given a personal SAC of XX, and a cylinder capacity of XX, and a personal SAC rate of XX, what would be the maximum bottom time for a dive to XX meters? (500psi/50bar reserve) What is the limiting factor in the bottom time?

Its always good to read your input Andy.

In order to answer the above questions, the student must have quite a bit of knowledge. SAC calcs, Boyle's law, equipment(tanks at least), NDLs and dive planning.

Did you feel that gas planning was the key missing ingredient when you were going through training at the OW/AOW level?

 

[Divedoggie]

I think the best questions would be scenario questions. For example:

1. You are on a boat in Molokini crater. The dive guide is describing the dive, which involves visiting garden eels at 130 feet. You are diving an aluminum 80. Is this dive a good idea or not? Defend your answer with specifics (decompression, gas, etc.)

2. You are diving off a friend's boat at a site which is current-sensitive. The boat is anchored. There is a moderate breeze blowing. Describe the factors you should take into consideration for planning this dive. (Location and identifying characteristics of the lie of the anchor; direction to work the dive to ensure an easy return to the boat if you have to surface early or can't find the anchor; tag lines; manned or unattended boat)

3. You are meeting up at a local dive site with a visiting SB diver. You have never dived together before, and the diver hasn't ever dived the site. Go through the dive planning, briefing, gear and buddy check you would do before diving. (Site info, buddy separation protocols, communications, checking weight systems, etc.)

I think questions that make the student integrate the information are much better than a single question that says, "What's the rock bottom for this dive?" It's too easy to knee-jerk out those answers.

(BTW, the things in parentheses are the answers you're looking for, not cues in the question)

I really like how those questions are presented. It brings the situations to life and makes the student apply knowledge to real scenarios.
The sheer number of multi choice questions on the test could be reduced and tied together with some of the suggestions from you, Peter, and Andy.

Again, are these specifically the questions that you would have liked to see when you were at the OW/AOW level? (Given that you were provided the backgound education first.)

Thanks for everone's participation! I'm hitting the hay for tonight.

 

[DevonDiver]

Did you feel that gas planning was the key missing ingredient when you were going through training at the OW/AOW level?

I definitely do. It's completely overlooked within the PADI and SSI recreational programs. I didn't learn the importance of proper gas management until I started technical dive training. Until then, I just monitored my SPG and 'best guessed' when I needed to start my ascent in order to surface with the required/statutory gas reserve. I got better at 'best guessing' as I gained experience.... but with hindsight, that left me with a knowledge void when I was least experienced. It's so easily rectified.... that it should be!

 

[Colliam7]

What is your name?
What is your quest?
What is your favorite color?

And, What is the air-speed velocity of an unladen swallow?

 

[waterpirate]

With a college program that has as much time as you do it is a perfect opportunity for you to produce divers that are ready to dm right out of your course. As the agency's grew and got further apart and more step oriented it became a comprehensive program, but many divers stop at ow or aow and it leaves them ill prepared for a lot of things other than guided tours on vacation. I did naui in 1981 with an ex navy bastard, I hated him as a person, loved him as a instructor. That course was 8 weeks long with at least 10 pool sessions, then the actual dives. People failed and had to repeat.
I guess what I am trying to say is with the luxery of so much time, the test is really not important when you have the opportunity to crank out such quality divers.
Eric

 

[Peter Guy]

DiveD asked

Again, are these specifically the questions that you would have liked to see when you were at the OW/AOW level?

I did a private a couple of months ago and the first night's lecture was pretty much just about KR 1, Question 5. By the time we finished, they all had a very good understanding of how that effects just about everything, buoyancy control, gas management, even DCI (both AGE and DCS).

I always give out my "Air Supply Cheat Sheet" to my OW students. Cheat Sheet

 

[j yaeger]

..how often do i really need to check my spg..???
no,really

have fun
yaeg