PADI Discover Enriched Air Nitrox eLearning?

[rmkrause]

Anyone done the PADI Discover Enriched Air Nitrox eLearning? After completing it, what is left to do at the LDS?

My main concern stems from what I saw online via one LDS:

"....This innovative new program provides a dive-computer only option, which simplifies the learning process and enables you to get in the water sooner using Enriched Air...."

This sounds like learning to do math with a calculator and not learning the mechanics behind it, which sounds like a bad idea. Also the price seems quite high at $195 which doesn't seem that much less that what I could probably do it at the LDS for.

Any comments on the course and doing Nitrox online versus all at the LDS?

[Vercingetorix]

$195??

Ouch. I paid $99 for 3-hours hands-on at the LDS. Included materials and exam.

Regarding what's left at the LDS: demonstrate your ability to calibrate the oxygen meter and take a reading from a tank filled with Nritrox gas.

[nrembis]

also do your exam

I agree 195.00 is too much.......I paid 90.00 plus materials for mine at the LDS took 3 hours start to finish

[navyhmc]

Aboutthe same for me nrembis:

$99 and 3 hours. Didn't hurt that I had the books about 2 weeks ahead of the class and had all the KR's done and most of my questions written down.

[rmkrause]

Well, going to scratch taking the PADI eLearning and just do it at the LDS if it's just a few hours of my time.

The $120 PADI wants for the OW and AOW seems ok - lets me do the classroom stuff at home rather than having to spend vacation, but at $195 + additional charges at the LDS for what's just a few hours anyhow doesn't seem worth it

[namabiru]

I guess it depends on how much PADI is charging for the Nitrox eLearning pass. The shop may be thinking the $195 includes your pack, your eLearning pass, your certification, the instructor's time and maybe a dive. However, if they're charging $195 and then you buy your own book and pass, then yep-- definitely overpriced.

If you get your book beforehand, do the work, and watch the video, it only takes 2-3 hours to go through the knowledge reviews with the instructor and write the exam. You can do it in an evening quite easily. The face-to-face works just fine.

But, yes, PADI HAS added the dive computer only option for Nitrox. I guess they figure most people are using computers these days, yet there has never been anything said about setting your computer properly. If you're talking about people learning the math behind tables, well,... the new eRDP is eliminating a lot of that.

[nrembis]

In my opinion you are best off to learn Nitrox in a classroom, you need to learn the tables, the math and your EAD's.

without knowing those the fill station op could write 250ft MOD on a 36% fill and you'd just sign off thinking it was ok

[mrm777]

It's good to have an instructor to clarify problematic areas and answer questions..........and it's cheaper.

[rmkrause]

Originally Posted by namabiru

I guess it depends on how much PADI is charging for the Nitrox eLearning pass. The shop may be thinking the $195 includes your pack, your eLearning pass, your certification, the instructor's time and maybe a dive. However, if they're charging $195 and then you buy your own book and pass, then yep-- definitely overpriced.

PADI themselves are charging $195 for just the online section. This isn't some LDS charge

[Smashee]

Way overpriced. Cost me $15 for my nitrox ticket. Most of that was the cost of the plastic card + postage from the UK.