As described earlier here, here and here, PADI’s DSAT technical diving division is overhauling the Tec Rec program, chopping up the Tec Deep and Tec Trimix courses into smaller, easier to digest pieces.

The Tec Deep course will be broken into three parts, called “Tec 40,” “Tec 45″ and “Tec 50,” signifying the depth in meters students will be certified to dive. The current Tec Trimix course will be similarly broken into two parts, dubbed “Trimix 65″ and “Trimix 75.”

PADI announced earlier this week that the new courses will rollout Sept. 1. Today it released the flowchart below, showing the route to becoming a Tec Rec diver. The chart will appear on the PADI website next month. (more…)

We all know that age is not a significant barrier to recreational diving. People can learn to dive — or even become instructors — in their 60s. But technical diving has generally been a younger diver’s game. The number of people who learn to tech dive in their 50s is much smaller than that of those in their 40s, 30s and 20s.

But, as these photos show, you’re never really too old to learn. Aquanauts Master Instructor Gary Tytler decided to finally strap on the doubles and get properly tech certified at age 55.

This month’s course also saw Aquanauts student John Paul complete his Tec Deep certification. Dan Beldon was the instructor.

So, how did it go? You’ll have to ask Gary, but from what those who watched him over the course will tell you, it took a lot of effort and academic discipline. (more…)

While executives from the DSAT technical diving arm of PADI have been doing roadshows — like this recent one in Pattaya — informally describing plans to change its Tec Rec program, there have been, until now, no official word from the agency itself other than to say DSAT was considering various bits of feedback.

Today, however, in DSAT Chat, we get the first “official” acknowledgement that changes are coming. (more…)

Heeding customer feedback and finally bowing to market pressures, PADI’s DSAT technical diving arm is preparing an overhaul of its TecRec Deep and Trimix courses that will lower the entry barriers to the course and give instructors more flexibility.

Although final course outlines have not been finalized, the Tec Deep course will be broken into three parts, tentatively called “Tec 40,” “Tec 45″ and “Tec 50,” signifying the depth in meters students will be certified to dive. The current Tec Trimix course will be similarly broken into two parts, dubbed “Trimix 65″ and “Trimix 75.” DSAT hopes to introduce the courses by the end of the year.

Speaking at DSAT’s forum in Pattaya June 21, PADI Instructor Examiner and TecRec Instructor Trainer George Wegmann stressed that the final look of the revamped TecRec program has not been finalized, but that DSAT now had a “strong direction” for 2009. The organization formed the basis for the tiered technical program from feedback at previous DSAT roundtables in Australia and the U.S. While still soliciting input from PADI professionals, the agency is now traveling around the world with its “Essential Change ‘09″ presentation. (more…)

Just a reminder that PADI’s DSAT technical diving division will host a roundtable forums in Pattaya June 21 to gather suggestions and ideas on the future of the agency’s tech courses.

DSAT has been doing forums around the world to map out what its instructors want for future tech-diving courses. As part of these discussions, the agency has already made some changes to its programs and standards. (more…)

DSAT Tec Deep students can now use normoxic trimix on their final course dive under a change announced today by PADI’s technical diving arm. The change in standards is the first result of a series of conferences DSAT is holding around the world to map the future of the Tec Rec program. (more…)

PADI’s DSAT technical diving division will host three roundtable forums in Thailand in April and June to gather suggestions and ideas on the future of the agency’s tech courses.

The forums, set to coincide with PADI Intructor Exams, will be held April 26 in Phuket, April 30 in Koh Tao and June 21 in Pattaya. (more…)

Broadening the appeal of closed-circuit rebreathers and the evolution of DSAT’s TecRec program lead the topic’s at this week’s DSAT Tec Diving Conference, an invitation-only workshop/conference held this week in the U.S. for DSAT TecRec Instructors, Instructor Trainers and other tech diving industry. (more…)