APD Inspiration/Evolution

AIM

To qualify as a BSAC APD Evolution & Inspiration 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 of the conditions already encountered by either during their training or previous experience and under the supervision of a Dive Manager.
Conduct dives with another rebreather diver within the restrictions of the lesser, in conditions already encountered by either during their training or previous experience and within the recommendations of the BSAC publication BSAC Safe Diving.
Conduct dives with an appropriately qualified diver to expand their experience, within the limits of their rebreather 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. Extended Range Diver, Rebreather Diver.) gained through formal training with a recognised agency. Such dives should be under the supervision of a Dive Marshal who is ideally an experienced Rebreather diver.
Dive, subject to a progressive build up of depth experience beyond that encountered during their training, to a maximum depth limit of 40 metres.
Plan and conduct dives requiring mandatory decompression up to a maximum of 15 minutes of decompression stops.
Rescue another similarly equipped CCR diver from depth to the surface (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 Closed Circuit Rebreather diver course consists of the following elements:

Nine classroom lessons
A theory assessment
Two dry practical lessons of two hours + one dry practical or optional classroom lesson of 15 minutes
One or more sheltered water lessons of not less than 120 minutes total in-water duration
Eight open water lessons, dependant on student performance, with a total underwater duration of not less than 380 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 minimum diver grade of BSAC Sports Diver (or equivalent with a valid 35 metre depth certification).
Have a minimum of 50 dives logged
Hold a BSAC Advanced Nitrox Diver (or equivalent) certification.

EQUIPMENT CONFIGURATION

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

An APD Evolution or Inspiration Closed Circuit Rebreather (CCR)
Access to an Alternate Source (AS) ‘octopus’ demand valve and cylinder contents gauge
Mask & fins and snorkel
Weight belt or integrated weights where necessary.

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

A delayed surface marker buoy and reel
An additional surface detection aid (e.g. a folding flag)
Protective clothing as appropriate

From Open Water Dive 3 on Evolution courses (Open Water Dive 4 on Inspiration courses) onwards an independent bailout gas supply, sufficient to allow safe ascent to the surface should be carried by each diver. The bailout system will require a direct feed connection compatible with the exhale counter-lung diluent manual injector.

INSTRUCTOR REQUIREMENTS

BSAC APD Evolution/Inspiration Rebreather Diver training is required to be carried out by an approved BSAC Closed Circuit Rebreather Instructor for the specified rebreather.

Assistant CCR Instructors are Open Water Instructors with the appropriate level of diving experience of a minimum of 100 hours whilst using the specified units. They may carry out the instruction of BSAC CCR divers under the supervision of an Approved BSAC CCR 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 CCR Diver Instructor, a BSAC CCR Diver Instructor Trainer or to act as an Assistant BSAC CCR Diver Instructor are defined in the relevant BSAC CCR Diver 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 two 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 two 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 four 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 CCR Instructor
The instructor has the assistance of another diver, minimum qualification Dive Leader and CCR Diver (qualified to use the specified units), to monitor the safety and control of students. This safety diver may not teach unless he/she meets the requirements for an Assistant BSAC CCR 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.

A suitable dry area for the dry practical elements.

Suitable shallow water dive site (6 metres maximum) for sheltered water skills development.

Dive sites with 10 metres maximum for open water dives 1 and 15 metres maximum for Open Water Dive 2.

Dives 3 and 4 with maximum depth to 20 metres, Dives 5 and 6 with a maximum depth to 25 metres and Dives 7 and 8 with a maximum depth to 30 metres.

APPROVAL
Technical skill development course approval procedure applies.

QUALIFICATION
Course certification will be issued by BSAC HQ after the event on receipt of a completed certification application form plus a completed Student QA report. The Student QA report is central to the BSAC Quality Assurance system and must be returned with the certification application form for a certification card to be issued.

LESSON SYLLABUS

Phase 1

Instructor briefing

Theory Lesson Course Overview

Course objectives
Course outline
BSAC CCR Diver (Definition and scope of certification)
Course implementation
Course programme

Theory Lesson Introduction to Rebreather

Overview of Rebreather History and development
How Rebreathers work
Types of Rebreather
Why dive an Evolution or Inspiration Rebreather
Cost implications of diving a rebreather

Theory Lesson The Evolution & Inspiration Rebreathers

The Unit Components
- Unit Schematic
- Component identification
The Unit operation
- Electronic components
- Operating modes

Dry Practical Lesson Preparing the Unit

This element and the previous classroom elements must be completed before the Open Water Lessons commence.

This session requires each student to have an APD Evolution or Inspiration CCR, a supply of Sofnolime, access to an oxygen analyser, lead weights for countering counter-lung buoyancy and the preparation check list from the Student’s manual.

Unpacking and specification check
Disassembly of rebreather
Identification of components
Assembly and preparation of rebreather
Post assembly checks and tests
Calibration
Interpreting the control and monitoring system

Open Water Lesson Sheltered Water Skills

See skills matrix for lesson content

Theory Lesson Physics and Physiology

Revision of Pressure
- Absolute Pressure
- Partial Pressure
Implications for CCR diving
- Gas consumption
- Work of Breathing
- Partial Pressures and CCRs
Gases in Rebreathers
- Hypoxia
- Hyperoxia
- Hypercapnia

Theory lesson Dive Conduct

Rebreather skills and considerations necessary to conduct a dive
Diving sequence
- Pre-dive preparation
- Entry and descent phase
- Bottom phase
- Ascent and exit phase
- Post dive actions
Monitoring the unit
- Gas management
- HUD, display and solenoid monitoring
- Waypoints
Dry suit diving with the CCR

Theory lesson Diagnostics and Resolutions

Potential problem sources
- Sensors and control system
- CO2 absorbent
- Gas flow and water ingress
Universal action for a safe gas supply
Interpreting the indications
Resolutions

Open Water Lesson Dive 1

See skills matrix for lesson content

Open Water Lesson Dive 2

See skills matrix for lesson content

Dry Practical Lesson Owner Maintenance Workshop

For this lesson access to appropriate tools and various components will be required.

Owner servicing of the following will be demonstrated;

Mouthpiece
Manual inflator valves
- Diluent and Oxygen
Checking and setting intermediate pressures
- Diluent and Oxygen
Batteries and contacts
Oxygen sensor fault finding and changing
Inspection and replacement of O-rings
Breathing hose fittings
Counter-lung over pressure valve
Counter-lung fitting backing seals
Medium pressure hose re-useable end replacement

Open Water Lesson Dive 3

See skills matrix for lesson content

Open Water Lesson Dive 4

Phase 1 Assessment Dive
See skills matrix for lesson content

Phase 2

Theory lesson Dive Planning

A CCR enabled version of Pro-Dive Planner plus copies of the dive planning worksheet provided in the student manual will be required to support this lesson.

The qualification
- 40 metres maximum depth using air diluent
- Maximum of 15 minutes of accumulative decompression
- 3 minute safety stop on all dives
- Dive with any combination of diver
- Plan dives using any established decompression tool
- Tables
- Software
- Dive computer
- Calculate adequate bailout and formulate bailout plan
Dive Planning in 8 steps
- Obtain site details
- Obtain buddy details
- Decide waypoints
- Decompression plan
- Bailout plan
- CNS% and UPTD tracking
- Absorbent material
- Review plan

Theory Lesson Dive Management Liaison

Rebreather diver’s duty of care
The dive manager
- Nitrox trained
- Understanding of rebreathers
- Understand limitations of divers certifications
The dive record slate
- Information required from the CCR diver
Boat diving
- CCRs and large boats
- CCRs and RIBs

Dry Practical / Theory Session Rebreather First Aid

Caustic burns
Use of rebreathers for oxygen administration for diving accidents

Open water lesson Open Water Dive 5

See skills matrix for lesson content

Open water lesson Open Water Dive 6

See skills matrix for lesson content

Theory Lesson Ownership of the Rebreather

Implications of CE marking BS EN 14143
Warranty and Insurance
Hygiene with the rebreather
Environmental considerations
Transporting the rebreather
Maintenance and servicing
Implications of add-ons and modifications

Open water lesson Open Water Dive 7

See skills matrix for lesson content

Theory lesson Dive Marshalling Liaison

Qualifications
“Duty of Care”
Dive Marshal
Dive marshalling slate
Boat diving

Open water lesson Open Water Dive 8

Final Assessment Dive
See skills matrix for lesson content

Theory Knowledge assessment

Open forum and course debrief

Disperse

NOTES

This is a five day course. It aids continuity of learning to run it over five consecutive days however, it may be run over two consecutive long weekends with extra time built in for revision of skills. The course is designed to be flexible with regard to delivery. It is not necessary to run the course in the above order except where indicated however, relevant theory or dry practical sessions should always precede wet practical training.
Instructors should base their teaching on the BSAC APD Evolution and Inspiration Rebreather Diver Instructor manual plus the APD Owners Manual. A set of MS PowerPoint Visual aids plus support documentation should be delivered for this course, and they are issued with the BSAC APD Evolution and Inspiration Rebreather Diver Instructor pack.
The dive planning tool used for the course is based around Pro-Dive Planner and instructors should have access to a CCR enable version of this software. Instructors will also discuss other proprietary dive planning tools as part of the course.
Suitably qualified BSAC Instructors (or equivalent) who wish to gain the BSAC APD Evolution and Inspiration Rebreather Diver Instructor status should apply to the