Inspiration - Advanced Rebreather Diver 40m - 6 days

The Professional Scuba Association International’s (PSAI) Advanced Rebreather Diver course is designed for those divers who wish to use a Semi-Closed or Closed Circuit Rebreather with Nitrox pre-mix or an air diluent during their decompression diving activities. The diver will able to dive with a rebreather and one or more off-board bailout cylinders in the company of at least one other certified diver without supervision in conditions similar to those experienced during this course to 40m

We can also supply CCR units from new cheaper than direct sale and parts for all the Ambient Pressure Units through our trade department.

Course Objectives

The PSAI Advanced Re-breather Diver Course student will be able to demonstrate proper re-breather care and maintenance, both pre and post dive. The student will also demonstrate proficiency in the skills outlined below, Skill Requirements, of this outline.

Course Qualifications

Apply the knowledge and skills outlined in this standard to plan and conduct decompression dives in environments and conditions similar to their training, when properly equipped and accompanied by another certified diver.

Prerequisites for Course Entry

The student shall be at least 18 years old at time of course entry. Certification

The student shall have graduated from a minimum of an internationally recognized PSAI Advanced Nitrox or equivalent advanced Nitrox and decompression skills course. If the student is coming from a PSAI Re-breather Non Decompression background the content is detailed within this standard.
Must have the competencies described in the PSAI Rebreather Diver (Non-Decompression Diving) standard. Must be PSAI RAPID Program Rescue Diver certified (or the equivalent).
Prior Dive Experience.

The student will present 100 properly logged and verified dives under varying conditions using open circuit diving equipment. Non-Decompression Rebreather diving will be considered as advantageous prior experience and each logged dive will count as two equivalent open circuit dives.

Medical Screening
Documented evidence shall be obtained that the student has been medically screened as suitable for recreational diving by means of an appropriate questionnaire or medical examination. In any case of doubt, or at the instructor’s discretion, students shall be referred to proper medical resources. If the student is not examined by an appropriate medical professional (e.g. physician) the student shall be obliged to confirm by signature that he or she has understood written information given by the instructor on diseases and physical conditions which may pose diving-related risks.

Special Notes

This course may be taught in conjunction with PSAI Advanced Nitrox Diving course at the discretion of the PSAI Instructor where no prior decompression diving qualification is held. This is to enable a diver to make a choice between safety stop and required decompression diving.

Course Minimums and Standards

Classroom Hour

A minimum of 12 classroom and practical demonstration (equipment assembly/disassembly) hours are required for the PSAI Advanced Rebreather Diver course.

Confined Water Dives

The first 120 minutes diving using a Rebreather must be conducted in a swimming pool or confined open water with swimming pool like conditions. (See general Standards for confined water specifications). All new skills shall be introduced in shallow water and all critical skills should be mastered by the student in that environment before attempting them in open water.

Open Water Dives

A minimum of four (4) simulated decompression dives and three (3) decompression dives of a total minimum of 500 minutes duration are required for the PSAI Advanced Rebreather Diver course. Where there is a manufacturer requirement for increased diving time then this will take precedence. Maximum depth in all cases will be 45 meters. Students shall have experience of at least 60% of the specified maximum working depth during this course. Safety stops are required on all dives.
Acceptable Gas Mixtures
Course participants must be trained in the use of oxygen/nitrogen mixtures, so that in the case of Closed Circuit Rebreathers (CCRs) the diluent shall be air or a nitrox mixture.
Maximum Oxygen Partial Pressures
1. The maximum pO2 during the dive is 1.4 bar.
2. A maximum pO2 of 1.6 bar can be used during the decompression phase of the dive or for emergency open circuit bailout.

*PSAI Qualified Sport Re-breather Divers

A Re-breather Non Decompression Diver must sit in on Advanced Nitrox or decompression planning and equipment configuration presentations and gain Advanced Nitrox qualification. A Sport Re-breather Diver needs to undertake all the skills satisfactorily from Section IX Skill Requirements Section C. Dives to achieve points 13 &14 are to be stand alone dives and one dive must be to within 3 meters of the qualification depth sought. All other highlighted skills must be demonstrated throughout any decompression dives on the course.

Course Instructional Materials Requirements

All students will use the appropriate PSAI Advanced Re-breather Diver manual. Provided by us.
All students will also use the manufacturers recommended documents or instruction manual for the chosen re-breather.
PSAI Re-breather instructors will use this Standard and the PSAI Re-breather Diver Course Guide, as a minimum. A PowerPoint presentation is also available.
PSAI also has a teaching slate and a set of scenario slates for this course.

Course Equipment Requirements

Each student is to have access to and full use of a re-breather for the duration of the course. PSAI do not recommend sharing re-breathers.
Exposure equipment suitable for use in the environment where the course is conducted.
Equipment suitable to conduct full leak testing, calibration and absorbent changes throughout the course.
Carry suitable additional gas for bailout and decompression independent of the re-breather, fitted with an operational regulator and pressure gauge and additional whip to connect to suit inflation or diluent addition button.

Curriculum Requirements

The PSAI Advanced Re-breather Diver course requires the use of the appropriate PSAI Re-breather Diver manual. And manufacturer manual. This manual will have all the necessary information to appropriately cover, in the detail necessary for this level of certification, the following areas of information:

History of Re-breather Diving.

Early uses of Re-breathers.
PSAI’s involvement in Re-breather Education.
Comparison with open circuit and semi-closed circuit diving equipment.

Mechanical and Electronic monitoring aspects of the re-breather.

The Loop configuration.
Gas addition methods.
Absorbent canisters and configuration.
Loop testing and servicing.
Mechanical or electronic control and use of a setpoint.
Displays and Electronic CO2 monitoring.
Oxygen monitoring and fuel cell theory.

Physiological Principles of Re-breather Diving.

Review the benefits of oxygen in conjunction with re-breather and constant 1.PO2 use.
Hypoxia, Hyperoxia, Hypercapnea avoidance and treatment.
Depth, gas density and workload considerations.
Contamination & loop cleanliness.

Equipment for Re-breather Diving.

Standard Equipment.
Additional equipment available..
Bailout Considerations.
Manufacturer’s Recommendations.

Dive Planning.

Equivalent Air Depth and Tables..
Equivalent Air Depth, Metabolic oxygen calculations, setpoint calculations.
Use of Dive Computers and software programs.

Problem Solving.

Configuration for use, carrying bailout.
Loop floods, mouthpiece loss, bag rupture.
Use and abuse of electronic monitoring equipment.
Scrubber monitoring and exhaustion..
User Maintenance and service periods.

By the end of the course the candidate shall have an appropriate knowledge of the following concepts for rebreather diving (course content should include all the following concepts unless inapplicable for the rebreather model used):

A. All of the theory competencies outlined in the PSAI Rebreather Diver (Non-Decompression Diving) section
B. Additional equipment required to be able to conduct decompression dives
C. Planning for redundancy of key life-support equipment
D. Techniques to be able to conduct decompression diving
E. Planning and conducting decompression dives
F. Manual operation of a functioning rebreather
G. Manual control options to manage a malfunctioning rebreather
H. Techniques for:

a. Open Circuit bailout ascent
b. Diluent flush
c. Manual oxygen control
d. Manual Diluent control

Skill Requirements

Land Based - A PSAI Advanced Re-breather Diver student shall:

Plan re-breather dives based on specified gases, setpoint and dive depths.
Properly pack and repack (a minimum of three [3] times) an absorbent canister using granular fill absorbent material. If pre-packed absorbent canisters such as “Extend-Air” are available, ensure these are fitted and used once (1) also.
Properly assemble and test a re-breather prior to every dive. A manufacturer checklist must be used where supplied. If one does not exist the Instructor will provide a PSAI checklist suitable for the model of re-breather.
Properly conduct pre-dive and pre-breathe checks prior to all dives.
Properly conduct an oxygen fuel cell swap out, only where permissible (manufacturer stipulation).
Properly conduct a battery swap out or re-charge.
Where additional electronics are fitted - Demonstrate competence with use of additional PC linked software to up-load set-up information, monitor and log dive parameters and download completed dives on the course.

Confined Water - A PSAI Advanced Re-breather Diver student shall undertake skills required to enable the correct continued use of a re-breather:

Perform buoyancy control drills.
Perform mouthpiece & loop water clearance drills.
Perform bailout switch drills.
Perform gas switch skills where required by equipment.
Perform correct handset monitoring and setpoint switching.
Maintain an elevated setpoint manually where possible (equipment limitations will dictate use of this skill).
Perform oxygen cell verification by flushing with oxygen at 6 meters .or shallower and check against depth. Record reading and depth. (This skill is repeated in the open water section with diluent addition only.)
Perform a diluent flush to simulate increased oxygen emergency. This is also referred to as going “Open Loop”.
Perform a successful loop flood and clearance only if the equipment is designed to tolerate such action. (3 meters).

Open Water - A PSAI Advanced Re-breather Diver student shall:

Conduct the dive according to their plan, as approved by the PSAI instructor.
Monitor gas pressures and surface with an acceptable safe margin.
Not to exceed any Maximum Operating Depth or Oxygen exposure limitations.
Correct setpoint choice.
Not to exceed any absorbent limitations set by a manufacturer.
Perform buoyancy control drills both at depth greater than 30 meters and in shallow water 6-10 meters.
Properly execute a recovery from a system failure to bailout whilst stationary on two (2) separate dives.
Properly execute a recovery from a system failure to bailout whilst hovering on two (2) separate dives.
Perform a diluent flush/open loop successfully on each dive.
Perform oxygen cell verification by flushing with diluent at 15 meters or deeper and check against depth. You must record reading and depth. Perform this skill at 3 differing depths.
Perform gas switch skills where required by equipment on two (2) separate dives.
Manually maintain an elevated setpoint (maximum 1.4 bar) for 20 minutes minimum during the bottom phase of a dive no deeper than 30 meters. Discuss timing between and duration of oxygen addition manual inject with instructor both before and after the skill is successfully undertaken. Compare your findings. (Some modern re-breathers will not allow you to inject oxygen manually and this skill will be regarded as not required.)
Simulate a recovery from a stuck ‘open’ solenoid simulating the last 10 minutes of a dive including ascent and safety stop.
Perform a simulated and controlled rescue of a fellow re-breather diver from a minimum of 20 meters – Control the rescue and stop at 7 meters. Demonstrate contact, control and observation throughout the drill.
Deploy a reel and surface marker buoy from a stationary position on the.bottom phase of a dive.
Deploy a reel and surface marker buoy from any point shallower than 15 meters during the ascent phase of the dive.
Conduct accurate safety stops on all decompression dives.
Demonstrate sound surface rescue tow technique of a fellow re-breather diver to a nominated point of safety.

Practical Skill Requirements

The student shall have experience of at least 7 dives/water sessions and at least 500 minutes total open water time during the course.
By the end of the course the candidate shall be able to perform the following skills (course content should include all the following items unless inapplicable for the rebreather model used):

A. All of the practical competencies outlined in the PSAI Rebreather Diver (Non-Decompression) section.
B. Awareness of the manual response options for rebreather malfunction, in addition to the option to switch to an open circuit breathing supply and then abort the dive.
C. Manual operation of the functioning rebreather
D. Manual response(s) to the following rebreather malfunctions (if applicable to the specific rebreather):

1. Hypoxia
2. Hyperoxia
3. Hypercapnia
4. Cell problems
5. Loss of diluent
6. Loss of oxygen
7. Other rebreather warnings/alarms as appropriate
E. Rescue of a rebreather diver
F. Conduct of decompression or safety stops
G. Switching to off board bail out and conducting an ascent
H. Correctly respond to simulated emergencies

Course Completion Performance Requirements

To be awarded the Professional Scuba Association International’s Advanced Re-breather Diver certification, the student must:

Attend all required academic sessions.
Successfully master all academic and in-water skills.
Correctly set-up all electronic monitoring parameters fitted to a re-breather.
Correctly perform all dry land based checks and maintenance.
Complete the PSAI Advanced Re-breather Diver written examination with a score of at least 80%. All questions shall be correctly answered or remediated and explained.
Conduct the open water dives with appropriate skill and attention to all dive parameters.
Conduct correct post-dive cleaning and maintenance procedures.
Correctly plan, execute, and log the required dives.

The PSAI instructor is responsible for ensuring that the Advanced Re-breather Diver student has demonstrated the appropriate respect and understanding for diving with a re-breather. If the student fails to maintain proper depth control, gas management or time awareness, etc., the instructor may require additional training to take place prior to certification.

Note: Depth Qualification following successful completion of this course is commensurate with the students own diving experience and choice of re-breather. These PSAI parameters are offered as maximum depths:

If PSAI Advanced Nitrox certificate is taught as part of the course the student will be assessed as diving to a maximum of 45 meters and able to undertake correct decompression diving skills and stops. The PSAI Advanced Nitrox certificate must also be issued. If previous formal experience shows training in decompression skills diving then the additional Advanced Nitrox qualification need not be issued but 45 meters will still remain the maximum depth permissible.

Where a student wishes to undertake non-decompression diving on a re-breather following this standard, the maximum depth qualification will be maximum 40 meters. The qualification will be Re-breather Diver, not Advanced Re-breather Diver.

All levels of PSAI Rebreather certification cards are Brand & Model specific. The Brand and Model the student was trained on will be listed on the certification card. No “generic” rebreather certification cards will be issued by PSAI at any level.

Course Costs and Options

Advanced Rebreather Diver 40m Air Diluent £924, Club Rate £850.
Advanced Rebreather Diver 40m With Adv Nitrox package Discounted by = £1389
Advanced Rebreather Diver 40m and Fundamentals Mixed Gas Rebreather Diver 60m package Club Rate = £1615

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