Advanced Mixed Gas Rebreather Diver

Student Comments

"A comprehensive course with excellent support materials, both in terms of the classroom presentations & the student manual. "

" Last year I turned down an invitation to attend one of the pilots of the new BSAC CCR AMG Course. Having just completed a week in Hurghada on one I am pleased I waited the extra year & improved my skills sufficiently! "

Gareth Leyshon

read Gareths full report.

AIM

To qualify as a BSAC Advanced Mixed Gas Rebreather Diver who is competent to:

Conduct dives with an open circuit buddy who is a minimum of a Sports Diver (or equivalent), within the restrictions of the lesser, in conditions already encountered by either during their training or previous experience, and under the supervision of a Dive Manager.
Conduct dives with another mixed gas diver or mixed gas rebreather diver ,within the restrictions of the lesser, in conditions already encountered by either during their training or previous experience and within Safe diving.
Conduct dives with an appropriately qualified diver to expand their experience, within the limits of their mixed gas certification, beyond that previously encountered. An appropriately qualified diver would normally be a minimum of Dive Leader or equivalent, but may also be a Sports diver who has additional relevant qualifications (e.g. IANTD Tri-mix Diver, IANTD Tri-mix Rebreather Diver, TDI Tri-mix Diver, etc.) gained through formal training with a BSAC recognised agency. Such dives should be under the supervision of a Dive Manager who is ideally an experienced mixed gas diver.
Dive, subject to a progressive build up of depth experience beyond that encountered during their training, to a maximum depth limit of 80 metres.
Plan and conduct dives requiring mandatory decompression.
Rescue another mixed gas diver from depth and hand over to an appropriate in-water dive support team (It is accepted that the students are able to rescue an open circuit diver to the surface by virtue of the course entry requirements).
Conduct dives where other divers, capable of providing assistance and rescue management skills, are available at the surface.

COURSE OUTLINE

The advanced mixed gas rebreather diver course consists of the following elements:

Nine classroom lessons
A theory assessment
A dry practical lesson of two hours
One or more sheltered water lessons of not less than 120 minutes total in-water
Five open water lessons, dependant on student performance, with a total underwater duration of not less than 300 minutes and an individual lesson duration of not less than 45 minutes.

All practical training in both sheltered and open water includes the achievement of specific performance standards at appropriate points throughout the lessons.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

In order to attend this course, students must comply with the following:

Be a minimum of 18 years of age.
Hold a BSAC air diluent rebreather diver or BSAC Sport Mixed Gas Rebreather Diver certification (or equivalent).
Be able to demonstrate a high level of proficiency diving on a rebreather unit. In general terms, this usually entails about 100 rebreather dives.

EQUIPMENT CONFIGURATION
For Sheltered Water training, the following student equipment configuration is assumed:

A rebreather specific to the course
ï€ Two stage cylinders, minimum seven litre capacity
Access to an alternate source (AS) â€˜octopusâ€™ demand valve minimum length 1.5 metres for each stage cylinder
Mask & fins
Weight belt or integrated weights where necessary

When progressing to open water lessons the equipment should also include:

Depth gauge and watch/timer or decompression computer
Suitable mixed gas for the lesson
A delayed surface marker buoy and reel
An emergency delayed surface maker buoy and reel
An additional surface detection aid (e.g. a folding flag)
A Jon-line
A run-time slate
Spare mask
protective clothing as appropriate

INSTRUCTOR REQUIREMENTS

BSAC Advanced Mixed Gas Rebreather Diver training is required to be carried out by, or supervised by, the minimum standard of an approved BSAC Advanced Mixed Gas Rebreather Instructor.

Assistant Advanced Mixed Gas Rebreather Instructors are qualified Open Water Instructors with the appropriate level of varied rebreather mixed gas diving experience of a minimum of 100 hours may carry out the instruction of advanced mixed gas rebreather divers under the supervision of an approved BSAC Advanced Mixed Gas Rebreather Instructor Trainer (or higher). The following levels of supervision apply:

Classroom and sheltered water lessons under on-site supervision,
Open water lessons under direct (i.e. in-water) supervision

The process and prerequisites to qualify as a BSAC Advanced Mixed Gas Rebreather Instructor, a BSAC Advanced Mixed Gas Rebreather Instructor Trainer or to act as an Assistant Advanced Mixed Gas Rebreather Instructor are defined in the relevant BSAC advanced mixed gas rebreather standards and procedures.

INSTRUCTOR RATIOS

Classroom Lessons - theory presentation lessons, the maximum ratio of students per instructor is driven by the logistical size, comfort and media presentation facilities.

Dry practical lessons - To ensure that the student can fully participate in the exercises and receives effective tuition, the lesson contents assume a ratio of six students per instructor.

Practical lessons - student/instructor ratios should comply with the following guidelines:

Sheltered water lessons - As for the Diver Training Programme, the sheltered water lesson notes assume the most likely scenario of lessons being carried out in a controlled environment, where time constraints typically impose a one to two hour limit. In order that all students can receive effective tuition during this time, a maximum ratio of four students per instructor is assumed. In less favourable circumstances, this ratio may need to be reduced appropriate to the water conditions and time available.

Where water conditions allow longer lessons, the above ratios may be increased to a ratio of a maximum of six students per instructor provided that:

All students can receive effective tuition within the time available
Underwater visibility is a minimum of 5 metres
The instructor is of a minimum grade of BSAC Advanced Mixed Gas Rebreather Instructor
The instructor has the assistance of another diver, minimum qualification Dive Leader and Advanced Mixed Gas Diver or equivalent, to monitor the safety and control of students. This safety diver may not teach unless he/she meets the requirements for an Assistant BSAC Advanced Mixed Gas Rebreather Instructor.
The lesson briefing includes clear directions as to the role of the assisting diver during skills instruction.

Open water lessons - Because of the nature of the exercises being taught, the lesson contents assume a ratio of a maximum of two students per instructor, to ensure that each student receives effective tuition.

FACILITIES

Suitable classroom with teaching aids for formal presentations. Suitable shallow water dive site (10 metres maximum) for skills development. Dive sites with 35 metres maximum for open water dives 1 and 2. Dive 3, with maximum depth to 55 metres. Dive 4, with a maximum depth to 65 metres and Dive 5, with a maximum depth to 75 metres.

APPROVAL

Technical skill development course approval procedure applies.

QUALIFICATION

Course certification will be issued by BSAC HQ after the event.

LESSON SYLLABUS

Day One

Instructor briefing

Course Introduction

Course outline
Assessment
BSAC Advanced Mixed Gas Rebreather Diver
Course implementation
Course programme

Theory Lesson Introduction to Mixed Gas Diving

Mixed gas diver certification
History of recreational mixed gas diving
What is mixed gas diving?
Why dive mixed gases?
Mixed gases
Issues

Theory Lesson Equipment and decompression systems

Personal equipment review
Decompression system types
Decompression system procedures
Team operations

Dry Practical Lesson Equipment Preparation

Open Water Lesson Sheltered Water Skills

Pre-dive
Briefing
Kit configuration and kit up
- Waterside checks
- Buddy checks
Descent phase
- Bubble and equipment check
- Set point change
- Linearity check
Bottom phase
- Weighting, trim & buoyancy
- Hovering in a horizontal position
- Helicopter turns
- One metre incremental ascent
- On-board diluent to off-board bailout stage cylinder bottom gas switch
- On-board oxygen to off-board bailout stage cylinder decompression gas switch
- Constant loop volume PO2 control
- Stage cylinder ditch and retrieve
- Bailout bottom gas stage cylinder hand off
- Bailout decompression gas stage cylinder hand off
Scenarios
- CO2 response
- High PO2 (No alarm)
- High PO2 (Alarm)
- Low PO2 (No alarm)
- Low PO2 (Alarm)
- O2 cells high / 1 cell low
- O2 cells low / 1 cell high
Ascent phase
- Seabed DSMB deployment
- Bailout & hand off decompression gas
- Bailout & hand off ascent
- Simulated decompression stop
- Out of travel or decompression gas response
Surface phase
- Hand up stages & exit
Post dive actions

Theory Lesson Physiology

Helium
High Pressure Neurological Syndrome
Thermal Considerations
Narcosis
Carbon Dioxide Retention
Effects of medicines
Fitness
Oxygen
Stress

Day Two

Theory lesson Decompression Theory

Background
Bubble circle
Bubble theory
- Haldanean concept
- Dissolved gas model
- Critical volume model
- Arterial bubble model
- Micro bubbles
- Deep stops
Helium decompression
General advice

Theory lesson Dive Planning

The qualification
Advanced dive planning
Set point selection
Gas selection
Custom gas selection
Bailout gas
Dive planning
PC software - dive examples
PC software - dive bailout examples
Run time management
Decompression analysis

Theory lesson Dive Conduct

Preparation
Stress management
Diving sequence

Theory lesson Emergency Strategies

Open circuit bailout
Passive PO2 monitoring
Constant loop volume PO2 control
Linear semi-closed circuit

Open water lesson Open Water Dive 1

Dive planning
- Decompression dive with maximum of 15 minutes ascent time
- Prepare run time slate
Pre-dive
- Equipment preparation
- Waterside checks
- Briefing
- Pre-dive checks
- Kit configuration and kit up
- Buddy checks
Descent phase
- Bubble and equipment check
- Set point change
- Linearity check
Bottom phase
- Weighting, trim & Buoyancy
- On/off board gas switches
- Semi-closed mode
- Run time management
Ascent
- Run time management
- Bailout ascent
- Mid-water DSMB deployment
- Decompression stops
Surface phase
- Hand up stages & exit
Post dive actions

Open water lesson Open Water Dive 2

Dive planning
- Decompression dive with maximum of 15 minutes ascent time
- Prepare run time slate
Pre-dive
- Equipment preparation
- Waterside checks
- Briefing
- Pre-dive checks
- Kit configuration and kit up
- Buddy checks
Descent phase
- Bubble and equipment check
- Set point change
- Linearity check
Bottom phase
- Weighting, trim & Buoyancy
- Run time management
Ascent
- Linear semi-closed mode
- Run time management
Surface phase
- Hand up stages & exit
Post dive actions

Day Three

Open water lesson Open Water Dive 3

Dive planning
- Decompression dive with maximum of 30 minutes ascent time
- Prepare run time slate
Pre-dive
- Equipment preparation
- Waterside checks
- Briefing
- Pre-dive checks
- Kit configuration and kit up
- Visualisation of the dive
- Buddy checks
Descent phase
- Bubble and equipment check
- Set point change
- Linearity check
Bottom phase
- Weighting, trim & Buoyancy
- Run time management
- Bottom deployed DSMB
Ascent
- Run time management
- Manually control PO2 for decompression stops
- PO2 break
- Decompression stops
Surface phase
- Hand up stages & exit
Post dive actions

Theory lesson Dive Marshalling Liaison

Qualifications
â€œDuty of Careâ€?
Dive Marshal
Dive marshalling slate
Boat diving

Day 4

Open water lesson Open Water Dive 4

Dive planning
- Decompression dive with maximum of 45 minutes ascent time
- Prepare run time slate
Pre-dive
- Equipment preparation
- Waterside checks
- Briefing
- Pre-dive checks
- Kit configuration and kit up
- Visualisation of the dive
- Buddy checks
Descent phase
- Decompression station deployment
- Bubble and equipment check
- Set point change
- Linearity check
Bottom phase
- Weighting, trim & Buoyancy
- Bottom Line
- Run time management
Ascent
- Run time management
- Loop gas switches
- Shot line ascent
- Decompression station procedures
- Decompression stops
- Manual control to 1.4 bar PO2
- PO2 break
- Jon-line
Surface phase
- Hand up stages & exit
Post dive actions

Day Five

Open water lesson Open Water Dive 5

Dive planning
- Decompression dive with maximum of 60 minutes ascent time
- Prepare run time slate
Pre-dive
- Equipment preparation
- Waterside checks
- Briefing
- Pre-dive checks
- Kit configuration and kit up
- Visualisation of the dive
- Buddy checks
Descent phase
- Bubble and equipment check
- Set point change
- Linearity check
Bottom phase
- Weighting, trim & Buoyancy
- Use of bottom line
- Run time management
Ascent
- Run time management
- Loop gas switches
- Shot line ascent
- Decompression station procedures
- Decompression stops
- Manual control to 1.4 bar PO2
- PO2 break
- Jon-line
Surface phase
- Hand up stages & exit
Post dive actions

Knowledge assessment

Open forum and course debrief

Disperse

NOTES

Although this is a five day course, it is not necessary to run it over five consecutive days. Students may gain the benefit of time to prepare their equipment and to practice their new mixed gas diving skills. Relevant theory should precede practical training.
Instructors should base their teaching on the Advanced Mixed Gas Diver Rebreather Instructor manual. A set of MS PowerPoint Visual aids should be delivered for this course, and they are issued with the Advanced Mixed Gas Rebreather Diver Instructor pack.
Suitably qualified BSAC Instructors (or equivalent) who wish to gain the Advanced Mixed Gas Rebreather Diver Instructor status should apply to the BSAC Technical Chief Examiner via BSAC HQ.

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Page last modified: 2nd Mar 2007 - 15:27:53