Posted by Wayne on November 06, 2000 at 10:44:01:
In Reply to: Re: MHK, please answer this question (and Ken, please read): posted by MHK on November 02, 2000 at 09:15:09:
My humble opinion is that it is good to expose the newbies to the concepts of nitrox so they will have a clue what it is about. Why not expose them to the principals and procedures?
Not everyone will want to take the additional training needed to USE nitrox, but with some exposure to its benefits and limits they will be able to determine if its use is applicable to their diving style.
Just as a rudimentary exposure to rescue in openwater classes exists without really turing them into rescue divers, I think rudimentary exposure to advanced dive subjects like nitrox is a good thing. Not that they would be qualified to use it, but at least they would know a bit more about why they need additional training.
Example: If we never mention wreck or cave diving in an open water class, the student might not know they they need to stay out of overhead environments without additional training, equipment, and planning.
That is kinda how I was thinking about it. I am all for more exposure to more subjects during their initial training.
Wayne