TECHNICAL DIVING

As diving became very popular over the last decade, more and more divers wanted to push the limit of their sport, wanting to go deeper, to stay longer or to enter forbidden regions like deep penetrations of caves and wrecks.

These areas were usually restricted to a small group of very experienced and very daring divers. The dive industry acknowledged this development and slowly adapted sophisticated dive equipment from the area of commercial and military diving to the need of a new dive generation. New and completely different dive courses were organized and outlined from dive associations like IANTD. And so, a new type of diver was born:

The Technical Diver

IANTD TECHNICAL DIVE COURSES

Nitrox Diver

This program provides recreational divers a safer breathing medium for enjoying dives in 40 fsw (12 msw) to 130 fsw (39 msw) depth range. The diver may elect to dive the mix on EANx tables or conservatively using their dive computers or air tables with an added diver safety margin. The IANTD Nitrox Diver certification is adaptable to being taught as a single program or by combining it with a variety of advanced or specialty diver courses.

Deep Air Diver

This program has been developed to provide responsible training to divers who plan to dive to 130 fsw (39 msw) on air. The IANTD Deep Air Diver program trains divers in skills, performance, theory and planning of deep dives. This program remains within the commonly practiced depth of 130 fsw (39 msw). It is the first sanctioned program to provide proper international training in safe deep diving skills and performance. It is recommended that this program be taught in conjunction with the IANTD EANx Diver program.

Advanced Nitrox Diver

This program is designed to extend the divers knowledge with O2 mixes of 22 to 40% and up to 50% for decompression. It further develops diving skills and provides a greater understanding of the Nitrox diving concept.

Technical EANx Diver

Overhead Environment Diver (Air or EANx)

EANx Overhead Environment training program develops diving skills and cavern diving skills within limits of light penetration. This program is designed to ensure divers are aware of self-responsibility and capable of risk management in overhead environments. The program may be taught using either air or Nitrox.

Mixing and Blending Technician

This program is intended to teach detailed technical information to mixing and blending technicians. It is intended to explain the standards, properties, equipment, oxygen safety, handling and cleaning procedures for mixing or blending diving gases other than air, such as Nitrox (EANx) or Trimix.

Trimix Gas Blender

This program has been designed to train competent personnel in the safe handling of oxygen and the preparation of Trimix.

Advanced Deep Air Diver

This program has been designed to provide safe training to those divers who carry out diving to depths greater than the commonly practiced depth of 130 fsw (39 msw). The IANTD Advanced Deep Air Diver program provides training to 160 fsw (49 msw). It is a tightly supervised program concentrating on safety and control of oxygen and narcosis risk. This program also provides training in many advanced forms of diving technique.

Technical Nitrox Diver Supervisor

This program is designed to provide recognition of leadership qualifications of competent divers. A Nitrox Technical Diver Supervisor is a leadership or instructor in training rating. Nitrox Technical Diver Supervisors may supervise divers in open water and students in all standard courses (except Overhead Environment) Advanced Deep Air Diver, and Nitrox Technical Diver under the direction of a qualified IANTD instructor.

Normoxic Trimix Diver

The IANTD Normoxic Trimix Diver program is aimed at those who wish to dive in the zone between 130 fsw (39 msw) and 200 fsw (60 msw) but are not comfortable doing so on air. The course uses normoxic mixtures and consists of 12 dives and one three (3) hour confined water session. Six (6) dives are on air to depths between 100 fsw (30 msw) and 130 fsw (39 msw) and six (6) dives involve practicing specified skills at depths between 30 fsw (9 msw) and 90 fsw (27 msw). All dives will be performed with two (2) stage cylinders. Four (4) Trimix dives are also made in the course with two (2) at depths up to 165 fsw (50 msw) and two (2) at depths up to 200 fsw (60 msw). This is an intense seven (7) day program enabling the graduate to be qualified to dive normoxic Trimix to 200 fsw (60 msw). It does not qualify the diver to use hypoxic mixtures to participate in dives deeper than 200 fsw (60 msw). The text for the course is IANTD's Technical Diver Encyclopedia, associated Technical Diver Workbook, Slides and newly developed Water-proof Tables.

Trimix Diver

The IANTD Trimix Diver program is dedicated to those individuals already involved in deep diving activities. The Trimix course is not designed to be used as an enticement to divers who are content to remain in normal recreational or Nitrox diving limits. Trimix affords a safer method for deep water exploration for divers who must dive deep or perform with a clear head in intermediate depths. The IANTD Trimix program establishes the need to be self-sufficient.

Nitrox Instructor / Advanced Nitrox Instructor

This program ensures professional, quality training to IANTD divers. An IANTD Nitrox Instructor who is certified as an IANTD Deep Air Diver may also teach the IANTD Deep Air Diver and Advanced Nitrox Diver programs.