A custom tailored selection of diving course provides the student with scuba diving industry service technician skills.

Koh Tao, Thailand

Big Blue Tech celebrates the graduation of Ian Jordan from his TDI Nitrox, BSAC/TDI Compressor Operator, BSAC/TDI Gas Blender and TDI Visual Inspections course conducted over a week by Instructors James Thornton-Allan and Ash Dunn on Koh Tao Island off the coast of Thailand.

The completed course give Ian the skills to improve his chances of employ-ability in the scuba diving industry giving him the ability to operate behind the scene in scuba diving resorts.The compressor operator course provides Ian with the ability to safely operate and conduct minor maintenance of scuba diving compressors, the gas blender add-on further gives ian the certification to make all mixes of nitrox by partial pressure or continuous flow systems. These courses were preceded by the required Nitrox Diver course and concluded with the TDI Visual Inspections Course which provides the ability to conduct repair on scuba cylinders and valves.

In will progress on to his BSAC Aqualung Repair Technician Course next week where he will learn how to service scuba diving equipment like regulators and bcd’s.

This will provide Ian with the skills and experience to be of an asset when looking for employment in the competitive and luxurious life as a scuba diving professional.

Experienced divers take on scuba diving compressor operation and nitrox gas blending courses in Thailand.

Koh Tao, Thailand.

Big Blue Tech celebrates the graduation of James Foleher, Steven Develter, Tom Fox and Peter Buckmaster from their TDI/BSAC Compressor Operator and TDI Gas Blender Course conducted over 3 days on Koh Tao Island off the coast of Thailand by Instructor Ash Dunn.

The compressor operator course certifies the student to use scuba diving compressors for the purpose of creating clean safe divers grade air along with the addition of air bank systems to increase volume and output. Included in the course is the packing of filtration systems, basic maintenance, start up and shut down procedures and orientation to different types of compressors. The students completed 3 hours of practical filling before continuing on to nitrox gas blending methods.

The Nitrox Gas Blender course certifies the student to create all mixes of nitrox including pure oxygen using continuos flow and partial pressure filling methods. These methods include topping up, bleeding down, using nitrox as a mix gas, using filtered Grade-E air or oxygen clean air for partial pressure filling.

The students will continue to use their certification as divemasters at big blue filling their own nitrox tanks for repetitive diving in their job. James continues on his internship to become gas blender and compressor operator instructor in the future.

Divers learn how to operator scuba diving compressors and use mixed gas.

Koh Tao, Thailand

Big Blue tech celebrates the graduation of Olaf Jongbloets from his BSAC / TDI Compressor Operator Course and TDI Nitrox Gas Blender course conducted by TDI and BSAC Instructor Ashley Dunn over 3 days of hands on training in our compressor room on Koh Tao Island off the coast of Thailand.

The compressor operator course enables the student to operate a variety of compressors safely including the packing of filters, minor maintenance and operation. This course is essential in the building of education which leads into the gas blender course where the student progressed from filling air to enriched air nitrox.

Olaf who is already a diving instructor will use his skills right away in his career working in the diving industry.

Handling a compressor and mixed gasses of oxygen for scuba divers in Thailand.

Koh Tao, Thailand

Big Blue Tech celebrate the graduation of Jade, Jen and Johan from their BSAC Compressor Operator Course and TDI Gas Blender course conducted by Technical Instructor Ash Dunn over a two day hands on workshop in the Big Blue Tech resort on Koh Tao Island off the coast of Thailand.

The BSAC (British Sub Aqua Club) Compressor Operator Course allows certified students to safely operate and conduct basic maintenance of scuba diving compressors from manufacturers like Bauer or Coltri Sub. During the course the students learned basic theory of compression, filtration and frictional heating combined with different methods of filling including air bank systems, fast filling, slow filling and different types of valves. After certification the students Will be certified to work in diving facilities as a compressor operator and air fill operator.

After the BSAC Compressor Operator course the students progressed on to the TDI Gas Blender course which builds on the skills and knowledge learned in their former course. During the gas blender course the students received hands on training for continuous flow and partial pressure blending using pure oxygen to enrich the air in a scuba cylinder to create nitrox. After certification the students will additionally be allowed to operate a gas blending facility and create nitrox for divers at recognized facilities.

The students will continue with their training on to more technical diving courses in the coming weeks as their experience grows.

Divers get technical with advanced skills with mixing gas and handling compressors.

Koh Tao, Thailand

Mixing different gasses to create enriched air nitrox for divers creates a lot of patience and skill. Few divers take on the challenge to learn the skills which support diving activities but many find the endeavor rewarding in learning the process of how different gasses get into our diving cylinders.

The course started with the BSAC (British Sub Aqua Club) Compressor Operator Course taught by Technical Instructor Ash Dunn for Tom Percy and Thomas Hallstrom. This course teaches the student how to properly operate scuba diving compressors including filter management, oil selection and maintenance, filling cylinders and combination with air banks. Ash recently returned from his Bauer Service Technician course and combined his knowledge of servicing compressors with the course enriching the knowledge and theory.

After completed the course and the required 3 hours of cylinder filling the students moved on to the TDI Nitrox Gas Blender Course.

The TDI Nitrox Gas Blender course teaches the students the safe method of blending nitrox using our own continuous flow system in combination with partial pressure techniques and theory for many other methods. In addition to the hands on experience the course is enriched with complicated theory giving the student a real mental work out. The last day the students had the pleasure of spending the afternoon filling 30 nitrox cylinders of different mixes which we have been keeping empty for a few days in anticipation of this course.

The afternoon filling gives the student the best quality of experience when they move into other dive shops and start working as gas blenders or compressor operators.

Technicians learn how to service scuba diving compressors from Bauer

Phuket, Thailand

Big Blue Tech celebrates the graduation of Facilities Manager Ashley Dunn from his Bauer Compressor Technician course conducted by Frank Herbert of STI over 5 days in Phuket.

The Bauer certified training course is designed to train the technician the full service and maintenance of Bauer compressors with strip down, rebuilds, trouble shooting, testing and repairs.

The work shop included several cut away compressors which illustrate the flow of the working parts to help the student understand how the compressor work taking into consideration all levels of knowledge.

Big Blue Diving nationwide have 7 Bauer Diving compressors from different ages and sizes along with 4 other brands. When compressors make up the backbone of any diving environment to fill tanks it’s essential to have properly trained staff to look after them.

Big Blue Tech take pride in ensuring that our divers get clean safe air from our properly maintained and serviced compressors on all our boats.

Today Big Blue Tech conducted the first TDI Compressor Operator Course ever. This course was attended by Ash Dunn, Andy Cavell and Mark Slinn and conducted on Koh Tao island in the south east of Thailand. Big Blue Tech authored and submitted this course as a custom written certification and received authorization from TDI HQ to start teaching. We have been told that TDI plan to develop their own Compressor Operator course based on our outline.

The TDI Compressor Operator course is designed to introduce the safe operation and handling of scuba diving compressors and air bank systems. The students learned the proper checks, safety and hazards, minor maintenance and operation of 2 different compressors including the combination of a large air bank system. On our next Khao Sok expedition later this month they will also be operating a portable petrol powered compressor in the jungle.

Big Blue own over 10 compressors around thailand, on Koh Tao alone we have 2 Coltri Sub MCH16’s, 2 Bauer Mariner 1, 2 Bauer 250, 1 LW 450 and 1 Bauer Junior (for cave and remote diving). In Khao Lak we have 2 Bauer Mariner 250 and 1 Coltri Sub MCH16, which gives our students a lot different compressors to practice with and become familiar.

After our time in the shop and on the boat we filled all the twin sets and air systems in the shop giving the students ample time to practice and learn using a compressor un-aided. The students will later evolve their diving skills with future TDI Nitrox Gas blender and TDI Advanced Gas blender courses.

The certification earned will give the students the recognized ticket to operate scuba diving compressors in government controlled diving areas.

For those TDI instructors interested in teaching this course, feel free to contact us for authorization to teach this distinctive specialty course.