Posted by Jeff B on June 18, 2001 at 11:51:26:
In Reply to: Re: This weekend's observations from Casino Point posted by MHK on June 18, 2001 at 11:18:02:
I work as an Engineer for the largest airline in the world. I can see where your coming from, but I dont wholeheartdly agree with you on the introduction of students to skills. Our pilots are not trained to perform a takeoff or landing on their first intro to flight nor do they perform stalls and missed approaches, the latter being very common occurances in everyday flying. They are slowly intoduced to these, for the outcome of being forced into them would be catastrophic. I feel the same goes for diving, take a newbie down to 30fsw, 60f, middle of the water column and have him dump his mask trying to maintain his bouyancy is not a very good way to go. This guy has spent a few hours in a nice 80f pool, now he gets to his OW site and gets the rush of 60f water on his face,at depth. I predict most will bolt for the surface (I see it every week from the bottom of the pool), all the while holding their breath (because they already are when that water hits their face) and risk an embolism. I agree that traing sucks today and needs to be changed, but I also think that while the sh@tty training is going on, that seated, shallow water mask removals are mandatory.
You may consider GUE to be top dogs, and your probably correct, but compare the students that seek out GUE training to those that seek PADI, the Gue people will undoubtedly have some handle on diving and its inherent risks, the Padi folks, well they just walk in off the street with no prior knowedge and are headed to Cabo for VC. It does need to be changed, no doubt.
"My issues is with the instructors and the invitation to mediocrity "
Absolutley, instead of teaching the combined skills in OW in a structured way, they just push AOW (some wont even get it there). AOW is being used as a scapegoat and money maker to allow todays instructors to be, well, nothing more then mediocre.
Looks like I am going to LA to follow up on an offer for a new BP wing setup offered by a shop owner on this list. Hopefully I will get 99% set up (fit) in the shop before I leave, the other 1% I would like to get from you guys.
Jeff B