Quote: (Originally Posted by
Dutchy)
One entry level example (purely fictive).... When I'm OC qualified as Advanced Recreational Tx diver (48m/15min acc deco limits) and ANDI L2 KISS certified and want to become ANDI L3 CCR (normoxic Tx and max depth 50m and deco ceiling max=9m or something along that lines)
Then I think you could safely state that I should have covered all the theory... To verify that 1 exam taking 1hours ?
?
A few things.. First at this point the ANDI L3 CCR is NOT a trimix cert, its a decompression training program.. The limits are 30 minutes of deco to 50m (air diluent).. There will be an adder in the near future for a limited trimix addon (similiar to our "technical trimix"..)
I wrote the current ANDI L3 ccr program, and I am confident that the previous cert you mentioned does not cover much of the materials in the ANDI L3 program.. Having a full trimix rating still wouldnt cover you either..
Right now there is no L3 ccr specific exam (I havent gotten around to writing one) right now the basic planning is tested by the L3 oc exam, the rebreather specific stuff is "quizzed" by the instructor (usually by the questions I wrote for them in the "inhouse" manual).. This procedure has worked well, but its time for an official exam.. The exam and support materials for the l3 program I should have finished by early next year..
I have an inhouse text that is used by the instructors as a reference that will become available as an official textbook also probably early next year (some non ANDI people have seen it, and everyone has told me there was alot of material they have never seen - These were all CCR trimix ITs a few occasionally visit RBWorld)
In most programs there is a way to allow for experience, right now the L3 programs doesnt really have a way.. At best I could see reducing the number of dives.. You would need the lectures, probably at a minimum about 8 hours, plus at least 2 dives, the first dive is very skill oriented, if everything went ok then a planned deco dive.. I can't speak for every instructor, but I have worked with many experienced CCR divers (including instructors), and NOT ONE passed my skill evaluation dive on the first shot, inluding divers that hold a "mod 2" rating wishing to take full trimix or instructors crossing over, They are required to go through all the skills if they dont hold an ANDI L3 CCR cert...
I'm not picking on you, and I understand the feeling of getting ripped off but THIS case is not as black and white as it seems.. And unless you saw the program and skill required it would not be aparrant.. BTW in the US its $795
In the end MY name goes on the certification card I issue, and that means something to me.. The modest price of a diving class is much less than I would make doing consulting or even my normal day job..