Professional Scuba Association

Narcosis Management Levels 1 to 6

Divers will be required to keep up with Depth, Air, Time and Awareness (DATA). Divers must become comfortable and competent with the mental and motor skills at each training depth before training down to the next level. PSAI is the only agency offering Narcosis Management® training down to 240 feet (73 meters). It is taught in six different depth levels, allowing the diver choice of training depth. This Narcosis Management® course is taught on air, to better prepare divers for Trimix diving which requires the use of the less forgiving helium based gases. Good buoyancy control, gas management, gas switches and runtimes are best learned while diving on air. However, divers certified on other gas mixtures or rebreathers can also benefit from Narcosis Management® training. This course is taught in six levels. The levels and depths are as follows: Level I 30m (100'); Level II 40m (130'); Level III 46m (150'); Level IV 55m (180'); Level V 61m (200'); Level VI 73m (240')

Advanced Nitrox

The Professional Scuba Association International's Advanced Nitrox Diver course is designed for those divers who wish to utilize enriched air (Nitrox) at oxygen concentrations up to and including 100% by volume (EAN22 to Oxygen) in their diving activities, including stage decompression procedures. It is highly recommended the Advanced Nitrox Diver candidates also take Narcosis Management® - Level III in order to expand and enhance their knowledge, skills, training, and to prepare them for required decompression stops.

Extended Range Nitrox

The Professional Scuba Association International's (PSAI) Extended Range Nitrox Diver course is designed for those divers who wish to conduct dives beyond 45 meters (150 feet) but not exceeding 55 meters (180 feet), using staged decompression techniques for both depth and extended bottom times. This course uses air as the primary back gas and nitrox as decompression gas(es). It is highly recommended the Extended Range Nitrox Diver candidates also take Narcosis Management® - Level IV in order to expand and enhance their knowledge, skills and training.

Trimix

The Professional Scuba Association International's (PSAI) Trimix Diver courses are designed for those divers who wish to conduct dives using helium based bottom mixes with associated advanced staged decompression techniques. The PSAI Mixed Gas diver program is conducted in three phases leading to dive depths of up to 100 meters (330 feet). These courses consist of: TRIMIX FUNDAMENTALS - Level 1: Depth 55 meters (180 feet);EXPEDITION TRIMIX - Level 2: 75 meters (245 feet); EXPLORER TRIMIX - Level 3: 100 meters (330 feet);

Wreck Penetration Diver

The Professional Scuba Association International's (PSAI) Wreck Penetration Diver course is designed for those divers who wish to penetrate wrecks using proper techniques. These penetrations are not simple swim-throughs, but rather multi-level or multi-turn dives. This course is NOT a "progressive penetration" memorization technique course but rather teaches proper line, reel techniques and protocols.

Technical Diving International

Intro to Technical Diving

This course is the perfect course for divers who have heard about technical diving and want to find out more about this exciting branch of advanced recreational diving. This course walks students through the special techniques, planning procedures and skills that set technical diving apart from traditional sport diving. It will show them how to improve their dive planning methods, in-water skills and streamline their existing gear configuration, in a non-threatening and fun learning environment. The specific skills this course will highlight are: Advanced Buoyancy Control; Gas Management; Situational Awareness; Trim; Gear Configuration and Selection and Many More!

TDI’s Intro to Tech course is a useful stand-alone course for the diver who wants to become a more skilled, more proficient diver regardless of if they intend to move on to technical diving. The course may also be used as an introduction to the TDI Advanced Nitrox course and the TDI Decompression Procedures course. And finally, it is also a good refresher for certified technical divers who may want to refresh their skills or have them re-evaluated by a TDI technical instructor.

Advanced Nitrox Course

This course qualifies divers to use enriched air nitrox from EAN 21 through EAN 100 to a depth of 40 meters/130 feet during dives hat do not require staged decompression. Often taught in conjunction with the TDI Decompression Procedures course, this can be considered the foundation of your technical diving career. Advanced Nitrox is also a great course for those wanting to extend their bottom times in shallower depths such as scientific diver, and a must for SCR or CCR divers. The course cover topics like Equipment requirements; Dive planning; Oxygen tracking; Blending methods; You will use the TDI Advanced Nitrox Diving manual for your course, which explains in an easy to understand practical manner the complex information that Advanced Nitrox divers need to know.

Decompression Procedures

As sport divers planned decompression is not something that we do or have been taught. The TDI Decompression Procedures course prepares you for planned staged decompression diving. With a maximum operating depth of 45m/150 feet, this course is your first step beyond the normal sport diving limits. Your TDI Instructor will provide you with valuable information and skills, among the topics covered are Kit set-up; Equipment requirements; Decompression techniques; Decompression breathing gases; Gas management; Contingency planning;

The TDI Decompressions Procedures course combined with the TDI Advanced Nitrox course form the foundation of all other technical courses. After these two courses and some additional experience, the stage has been set for you to move onto additional technical levels. Some of the materials you will be using include the TDI Divers Guide to Decompression Procedures, US Navy or Buhlmann Air Decompression Tables (made of vinyl for easy in-water use and storage)

Extended Range Diving

Certain areas of the world provide spectacular dives at depths deeper than 39m/130 feet but you will not have access (or very limited access) to helium. The TDI Extended Range course teaches you the proper techniques for utilizing compressed air as a breathing gas and with a maximum depth of 55m/180 feet you won’t have to miss those dives. The Extended Range course will cover topics and skills such as Equipment requirements and configuration; Decompression options; Use of surface marker buoys; Buddy rescue; Narcosis checks and management; Materials for this course include the TDI Extended Range Diving Manual and the US Navy or Buhlmann Air Decompression Tables (made of vinyl for easy in-water use and storage)

Trimix

As your motivation to explore progresses you will find that you may want to go deeper to dive that wreck that is part of history or that cave system that you have read so much about. One of the major limiting factors of going deeper is narcosis; TDI’s Trimix Diver course shows how to minimize the effects of narcosis by adding helium to offset the nitrogen in your breathing gas. While taking the Trimix Diver course your TDI Instructor will teach you how to plan and execute dives utilizing as little as 18 percent oxygen and diving to maximum depth of 60 m/200 feet with a blend of helium appropriate for the planned depth. The course covers topics and skills like Dive team planning; Gas matching; Cylinder labeling; Surface marker deployment; Equipment configuration; Thermal protection options;

Advanced Trimix Diver

This course is the top level of training for open circuit divers wishing to dive to depths as deep as 100 m / 330 feet utilizing hypoxic levels of oxygen (below 17 percent). This course is perhaps one of the most informative and challenging and upon completion you are among some of the most elite divers. Your TDI Instructor will teach you Equipment management; Multiple stage cylinder labeling and placement; Complex decompression planning and contingency planning; Dive team awareness and communication; Gas monitoring and management; Use of travel gasses; The TDI Advanced Trimix manual is one of the most up to date manuals and includes all the latest of technology and practices being used.

International Association of Nitrox and Technical Divers

Advanced Nitrox Diver

This program is designed to extend the divers knowledge with O₂ mixes of up to 1.5 PO₂ and teaches one stage cylinder decompression techniques. It further develops diving skills and provides a greater understanding of oxygen use as well as the Nitrox diving concept.

Recreational Trimix Diver

This program is designed to provide recreational divers with a breathing medium for extending their dives to deeper sport diving depths without any narcosis. By adding helium and establishing Equivalent Narcotic Depths (END) between 40 to 80 fsw (12 to 24 msw), the divers will not feel the effect of narcosis. The diver may elect to dive the "mix" on tables or computers. The IANTD Recreational Trimix Diver qualification may be taught as a single program or combined with a variety of the IANTD Advanced or Specialty Diver Programs.

Advanced Recreational Trimix Diver

This program is designed to extend the diver’s knowledge in the use of Trimix for sport diving. It further develops diving skills and provides a greater understanding of the Trimix concept of diving and is intended to supplement the skills of Recreational Trimix Divers. The program employs mixes from 21% oxygen to a maximum of 1.5 PO₂ combined with a Helium content that maintains an END no greater than 80 fsw (24 msw) may be used.

Technical Diver

This program is designed to train divers to conduct dives to depths between 100 fsw (30 msw) and at the instructors option up to 170 fsw (51 msw) using custom blend breathing gas mixtures; and to provide greater understanding of custom blend breathing gas mixtures, a complete knowledge of the limits of any Nitrox mixture, and the use of Nitrox and oxygen for decompression. This class also teaches the use of multiple stage cylinders.

Normoxic Trimix Diver

This course ALSO offered using rebreather with manufacturer’s programs specific to each rebreather unit. 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. It can be taken in lieu of Technical diver. The instructor will extol the need for stage tank use during this class streamlining your dive and increasing your enjoyment and depth in one fell swoop.

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 up to 333 fsw (100 msw). The IANTD Trimix program establishes the need to be self-sufficient. This course also teaches dual stage bottles.

Expedition Trimix Diver

This course ALSO offered using rebreather with manufacturer’s programs specific to each rebreather unit. This program is designed to train divers already involved in deep diving activities to more safely conduct exploration dives requiring extended decompression profiles and helium-based gas mixtures as well as information on remote operations and expedition preparations. The IANTD Expedition Trimix Diver Program requires the diver to be self-sufficient/reliant. The knowledge and skills taught in this program are more than adequate to qualify divers to perform Trimix Dives outside of training up to 400 fsw (120 msw) with the use of multiple stages and alternative methods for decompression.

Advanced & Technical Wreck Diver

This program trains divers in safe wreck penetration diving and the technical utilization of Nitrox for wreck exploration and the use of Nitrox and oxygen for decompression.