Diver Air Quality Compressor Operator Handling Course Completed in Thailand

Koh Tao, Thailand - Big Blue Tech completed a BSAC Compressor Operator course today for Divemaster Intern Dylan Thornton by BSAC Instructor Ash Dunn.

The BSAC Compressor Operator course is about teaching the proper handling, procedures and functions of divers air quality compressors and banked air systems.

Divers air quality compressors are not the same as compressors you use for filling tires or using a nail gun. The quality of the air has to be high to prevent any respiratory problems for the divers breathing it under pressure. With the quality of the air so important Dylan was also taught how to change the filters which have special chemicals inside to help remove toxins and moisture before being put into the scuba divers cylinder.

The course consists with a  morning of academic theory lessons and afternoon of practical hands on filling and then concludes with a written exam. Dylan progresses tomorrow on to his Gas Blender course where he will use his skills again to fill nitrox cylinders.

In addition to this the rest of the team have been busy servicing regulators and equipment in preperation for the start of the next tech course which starts bright and early tomorrow for 4 eager future technical divers.

On January 4th 2010 Big Blue Tech arrived at Rajjaprabha Dam on Chiew Lan Lake in Khao Sok National Park to head out towards the raft house which would accommodate use for the duration of the TDI Cavern Course and BSAC/TDI Compressor Operator Course. The course was taught by James Thornton-Allan for students Andy Cavell, Mark Slinn, Emily Billingham, Piotr (Peter) Paulo and Malgorzata (Margaret) Babiak

As the team arrived at the resort we set up the area for the compressor and charging of the torches and then it was time to head out to the diving area to start the skills of the course.. The course needed to be staggered to maintain a ratio of 4 to 1 for the instructor which meant James took Peter and Margaret for their first training dives while Emily, Andy and Mark practiced their buoyancy in fresh water with their technical diving gear. The buoyancy and control came naturally to Peter and Margaret who come from Poland where the majority of their diving experience is in freshwater, additionally both Peter and Margaret are diving professionals who own Asian Divers in Phucket. Peter himself is a PADI Course Director and a Tec Deep Instructor Training for PADI/DSAT. For all divers the skills which need to be performed with comfort include using a reel and line to run a continuos guidleline, propulsion and finning techniques, loss of visibility and primary flashlight / torch failure and various other skills to make the diver comfortable in this ovehead environment. Addition to these skills all diver require 2 sources of artificial light, to reels and 2 sources of air supply.

On the 5th Peter and Margaret completed their course and received their certification followed by Andy, Emily and Mark on the 6th.

For Andy, Emily and Mark these newly developed skills would be further put to use in the coming days of the expedition when we explore shipwrecks on the west coast of Thailand. The Advanced Wreck and Cavern skills are quite similar as they both illustrate the procedures for dealing with an overhead environment.

On the 7th of January the team heading off the lake after a few thrashings of rain where Mark commented “I started the day off with possible heat stroke and now I think I’m coming down with hypothermia!”, we loaded the truck and headed off to Khao Lak which would the our base for diving for the next week.

The Big Blue Tech family became a little bit bigger with the arrival of Andy Holdaway to start his technical dive master internship which will take him from a rescue diver to a member of staff as an instructor in a few months time.

Andy joins us from England where he has spent the past few years as a Royal Marines Commando and served with our director James Thornton-Allan over 4 years ago. Andy has been to Koh Tao before but this time he’s staying.

Being as Andy already has a relationship with the staff means there’s been quite a few late nights and shakey mornings. However the celebration of his arrival is over and now it’s time to get to work. Andy will be enrolling in the following courses.

PADI Divemaster Internship
TDI Technical Divemaster
TDI Advanced Gas Blender
TDI Service Technician
TDI Advanced Nitrox
TDI Decompression Procedures
TDI Extended Range
PADI Open Water Instructor
PADI Specialty Instructor - Deep and Nitrox
BSAC Compressor Operator

Once that’s done Andy will be joining us to take over the responsibility for all our specialty course training and freelancing for recreational diving while he builds up experience to take on the ominous role of TDI technical instructor.