PADI Dive Planning and Management 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the recommended minimum amount of air reserve a diver should have when ending a dive?
- 500 psi (35 bar)
- 1,000 psi (70 bar) (Correct answer)
- 200 psi (14 bar)
- 1,500 psi (105 bar)
Correct answer: 1,000 psi (70 bar)
PADI recommends ending dives with at least 500 psi (35 bar) as a minimum, but 1,000 psi (70 bar) is widely considered the industry-standard safe reserve.
Question 2: A diver planning to fly after diving should wait a minimum of how long after a single no-decompression dive?
- 4 hours
- 12 hours (Correct answer)
- 18 hours
- 24 hours
Correct answer: 12 hours
PADI guidelines recommend waiting at least 12 hours after a single no-decompression dive before flying to allow adequate nitrogen off-gassing.
Question 3: Which planning tool accounts for altitude dives by adjusting no-decompression limits?
- Standard RDP Table without modification
- PADI Wheel or dive computers set for altitude (Correct answer)
- Standard dive tables used in reverse order
- Air-consumption rate charts
Correct answer: PADI Wheel or dive computers set for altitude
The PADI Wheel (or altitude-capable dive computers) incorporates altitude adjustments because reduced ambient pressure at altitude changes decompression calculations.
Question 4: What is a 'dive brief' and when should it occur?
- A written dive log completed after the dive
- A pre-dive orientation covering site, hazards, procedures, and signals given before entering the water (Correct answer)
- A post-dive debriefing to discuss problems encountered
- A computer-generated dive profile shared after the dive
Correct answer: A pre-dive orientation covering site, hazards, procedures, and signals given before entering the water
A dive brief is a pre-dive meeting where the dive leader covers site conditions, entry/exit, hazards, hand signals, and emergency procedures before the group enters the water.
Question 5: When planning a drift dive, what is the most critical logistical element to arrange in advance?
- Selecting the deepest point of the drift route
- A reliable surface support boat or tender to follow divers (Correct answer)
- Timing the dive for slack tide
- Ensuring all divers carry identical equipment
Correct answer: A reliable surface support boat or tender to follow divers
A surface support boat that tracks and retrieves divers is essential for drift dives because divers may surface far from the entry point.
Question 6: Which condition is a contraindication that should cause a diver to cancel a planned dive?
- Water temperature below 80°F (27°C)
- Recent respiratory illness or congestion (Correct answer)
- Diving with a buddy who has less experience
- Planning to dive to 60 feet (18 meters) instead of 100 feet (30 meters)
Correct answer: Recent respiratory illness or congestion
Respiratory congestion can prevent equalization of ears and sinuses and may worsen at depth, making it a medical contraindication for diving.
Question 7: The 'rule of thirds' for air management is most commonly applied to which type of diving?
- Open-water recreational diving to 40 feet
- Overhead environment diving such as caverns and caves (Correct answer)
- Night diving in warm tropical waters
- Pool-based confined water training dives
Correct answer: Overhead environment diving such as caverns and caves
The rule of thirds (one-third in, one-third out, one-third reserve) is standard air management for overhead environments where direct ascent is not possible.
PADI Dive Planning and Management 3
What is the recommended minimum amount of air reserve a diver should have when ending a dive?