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At 10:52 AM 4/19/96 -1000, you wrote: >> My basic course, 20 years ago, did not really mention partial pressure in >> detail, but it did cover N2 and O2 effects. They were VERY careful to tell >> us about oxygen toxicity; they were VERY careful to tell us about nitrogen >> narcosis; they were VERY careful to make certain we really and truly >> understood the U.S. Navy Standard Air Tables. > >My basic course 16 years ago taught the same thing. There were also >three instructors (one of whom was former UDT), and only eight students. >The problem is, today's introductory courses are not the same as they >were back then. > >Aloha, >Rich >-- >Send mail for the `techdiver' mailing list to `techdiver@terra.net'. >Send subscription/archive requests to `techdiver-request@terra.net'. > It's the instructors,guys.That and the desire to certify as many people as possible,'cuz certified divers buy dive equipment.The courses now lean toward equipment features and benefits,and away from theory & practice.A good mix would be nice. My basic course was in 1973,and I taught for a few years starting in 1978,so i guess that's back in the time frame your talking about.But it didnt take a navy seal instructor to teach or learn Dalton's & boyles law,as well as pressure gradients.My instructor did both,and he was an ex-bread route driver.Let's face it,any one with basic high school algebra can understand the basic principles,if they're laid out in an orderly fashion. One thing I agree on is class size.Ten was the maximum my instructor would take,and he usually had at least 1 or 2 assistants (unpaid...we had a ball,& knew he couldnt afford it anyway).The other thing is that there's not enough time lapse between"experienced" divers and novices.Being able to do advanced dives is one thing;being able to deal with someone else's problem you may never have experienced before is something else. John L. Dunk o Tallahassee,Fl. o screwloose@ne*.co* ______o_________
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