- They may use a Twinset Total Diving System as outlined in the SSI Training Standards if they have the Extended Range Instructor (Twinset) certification.
- They may use an Extended Range Sidemount Total Diving System as outlined in the SSI Training Standards if they have the Extended Range Sidemount Instructor certification.
- They may use an XR CCR or XR SCR Total Diving system as outlined in the SSI Training Standards if they have the applicable CCR or SCR Extended Range Instructor certification and the CCR or SCR Diving certification on the unit used by the student.
Note | The SSI Professional teaching the program must have an instructor certification in the equipment configuration used by the student.
Students participating in this program must use at least one of the following equipment configurations:
- Three (3) reels or spools per diver (one should be a safety spool with a minimum of 45 meters of line).
- Three (3) line arrows and five (5) non-directional cookies or eight (8) or referencing exit markers (REM).
- Maximum depth limit for Overhead Training Dives 3 through 8: The maximum certification depth of the instructor or student, whichever is shallower.
- Complete academic sessions and assessments as outlined in the instructor manual for Full Cave Diving.
- Complete at least one (1) dry land skill development session as outlined in the instructor manual for Full Cave Diving.
- Complete at least one (1) pool/confined water skill development session with a minimum cumulative time of at least one (1) hour as outlined in the instructor manual for Full Cave Diving.
- Complete at least eight (8) overhead training dives as outlined in the instructor manual for Full Cave Diving.
- All overhead training dives must be planned within the decompression limits of the student’s certification.
- CCR bailout cylinders must have enough gas for the diver to return to the surface from the deepest planned penetration point, based on a SAC rate of 40 liters per minute for the duration of the first bailout gas.
- SCR cylinders must have enough gas for the diver to return to the surface from the deepest planned penetration point, based on a SAC rate of 40 liters per minute for the duration of the first bailout gas plus an additional 30 liters per minute in SCR failure mode.
- The remainder of the dive can be planned at the divers calculated SAC rate plus an additional 30 liters per minute in SCR failure mode.
Note | Refer to the page on “Combining Overhead Programs” for gas reserve and decompression rules when conducting combined programs.
- All overhead-specific skills must be conducted in an overhead environment as outlined in the program’s instructor manual.
- All overhead training dives must be conducted in water with at least five (5) meters of visibility at the start of the dive.
- Overhead training dives must be completed on at least two (2) different sites unless the site is large enough to have multiple entry and exit points and interior routes.
- The pool/confined water skill development session may only be conducted after the student successfully completes the equipment configuration session and the dry land skill development session.
- Overhead Training Dives 1 through 4 may only be conducted after the student successfully completes the XR Water Fitness Evaluation, and all pool/confined water skill development sessions.
- Overhead Training Dives 5 through 8 may only be conducted after the student successfully completes all academic sessions and Overhead Training Dives 1 through 4.