TDI –Cave Diving Instructor Evaluation
Introduction

The purpose of this program is to evaluate a candidate instructor with respect to the following criteria:
1. Level of knowledge, professionalism and proficiency in presenting a comprehensive TDI
Introductory
2. Proficiency in demonstrating the required land and water skills.
3. Overall attitude toward safety, both for the instructor and their student.
4. Reducing the long-term environmental impact of our sport by the developing skilled, efficient and
well educated divers.
5. Possessing a thorough knowledge of the Standards and Procedures of TDI.

Qualifications of Graduates
Upon successful completion of this program, graduates will be authorized by TDI to teach and certify
students in the following areas:
1. Overhead Environment/ Cavern Diver Course
2. Introductory Cave Diver Course
3. Cave Diver Course

Who May Teach
Who may teach this course:
1. This program may be conducted by the Headquarters Training Staff and/or Senior Instructor who
has been approved by Headquarters to evaluate instructor candidate evaluations.

Student – Instructor Ratio
Academic:
1. Unlimited, so long as adequate facility, supplies and time are provided to insure comprehensive
and complete training.
Overhead Environment Training:
1. The maximum candidate to instructor ratio, 3:1.

Student Pre-Requisites
1. Be a minimum of twenty-one (21) years of age.
2. Be a certified open water instructor in active teaching status with an internationally recognized
scuba training agency for at least two years.
3. Have a minimum certification of TDI Introductory Cave Instructor or equivalent (e.g. NACD, and
NSS-CDS), with active teaching status.
4. Provide proof of at least 200 full-cave dives.
5. Provide proof of teaching a minimum of three (3) Introductory Cave Diver Courses and assisting
with a minimum of one (1) complete TDI Cave Diver Course with one (1) active TDI Cave Diver
Instructor approved by the Training Director.
6. Provide recommendation from a TDI Cave Instructor with which the candidate has assisted in
cave training classes and stating that the candidate is prepared for the instructor evaluation
program.

Course Structure and Duration
Water Execution:
1. TDI allows the Training Director to structure programs accordingly. Adequate time to ensure
comprehension and ability to perform skills required.
Program Structure:
1. Candidates must participate in a minimum of two (2) TDI supervised cave dives.
Duration:
1. Minimum time of Fifteen (15) hours.
Limits of Training:
1. Minimum cylinder size: 160 cubic ft.
2. Maximum penetration: one-sixth (1/6) of the double cylinder volume.
3. Minimum starting pressure: 2000 psig / or 52 cubic ft. of volume.
4. Maximum depth: one-hundred (100) ft. /(thirty (30) meters).
5. Minimum starting visibility: thirty (30) feet /( nine (9) meters).
6. No decompression diving, safety stops as appropriate or necessary.

Administrative Requirements
The following is the administrative tasks:
1. Collect the course fees from all the Instructor Candidates.
2. Ensure that the Candidates have the required equipment.
3. Communicate the training schedule to the Candidates.
4. Have the Candidates complete the Liability Release and Medical history forms.
5. The Instructor must review the Liability Release and Medical History Forms before starting the
course.

Required Equipment
Required reading:
1. TDI Standard & Procedures Instructor Manual.
2. TDI Cave Diver Course materials.
Suggested reading:
1. NACD Art of Safe Cave Diving
2. Basic Cave Diving – A Blueprint for Survival
3. Caverns Measureless to Man – Sheck Exley
Equipment Requirements
1. Primary cylinders, minimum volume size is 160 cubic ft, a manifold system recommended.
2. Mask, low volume recommended.
3. Fins – straps taped or reversed if applicable.
4. Appropriate cylinder harness and buoyancy compensator with automatic low pressure inflator.
5. Two (2) completely independent first and second stage regulators; one regulator having an
approximately seven (7) foot hose, one first stage regulator having a submersible pressure gauge
and low pressure hose for buoyancy compensator.
6. Three battery powered lights consisting of:
A A primary light with illumination sufficient for the environment and an expected
minimum burn time appropriate for the dive.
B Two (2) backup lights, each having an expected burn time suitable for the planned dive
time.
7. Exposure suit, adequate for the diving environment.
8. Watch or bottom timer and a depth gauge (A dive computer may be used in place of one or both).
9. Computer and/or submersible dive tables (both are recommended).
10. Slate or wet notes and pencil.
11. Small knife or other suitable line cutting device.
12. Safety reel with a minimum of one-hundred (125) ft /(thirty-seven (37)meters) of guideline.
13. One (1) primary cave-diving reel with approximately three-hundred fifty (350) ft /(one-hundred
seven (107)meters) per team.
14. Jump/Gap reel with approximately fifty (50) ft /(fifteen (15)meters) of guideline.
15. Three (3) directional line arrows.
16. One non-directional marker.
17. It is recommended that the team pre-position decompression cylinders approximately one stop
deeper than their planned decompression depth in any dive where decompression is planned.
Cylinders should be clearly marked, easily identifiable (even in no visibility conditions) and
incorporate a regulator and submersible pressure gauge.
18. First aid kit and oxygen recommended for surface support. Adequate drinking fluids for all
students to prevent dehydration is recommended.
NOTE: All the Instructor Candidates must be in full cave gear configuration for all water activities.

Required Subject Areas
1. Decompression Theory and its application to the special needs of cave diving.
2. Gas Matching Procedures/Management
3. Accident Analysis
4. Psychological Considerations
5. Equipment Considerations
A Cylinder Options
B Regulator Options
C Buoyancy Compensator/Harness Options
D Reel Options
E Equipment Configurations
6. Body Posture and Buoyancy Control
7. Communication
A Hand Signals
B Light Signals
C Touch Contact
8. Swimming Techniques
9. Review of Problem Solving
A Accident Analysis
B Equipment failure scenarios
C Buoyancy Control
D Line Following
E Propulsion Techniques
10. Review of Dive Tables/Computers
11. Physiology
A Breathing Techniques
B Stress Management
12. Cave Environment/Conservation
13. Land Owner Relations
14. Local Access Requirements.

Required Skill Performance and Graduation Requirements
The Candidates are required to demonstrate the cave diver land/safety drills as described in the TDI Cave
Diver materials. Candidates will teach and encourage cave manners and proper etiquette at all times.
1. Proper use of reels; primary, safety, jump and gap.
2. Circuits, traverses, T’s, jumps and gaps.
3. Simulated situations/emergencies including:
A air sharing
B lost guideline
C lost diver
D line entanglement
E broken or cut guideline
F primary light failure
G valve/regulator failure
H fin and mask failures
4. Communication:
A light
B hand and touch
5. Candidates are required a minimum of two lectures (one prepared and one impromptu) from the
TDI Cave Diver materials.
Candidate must be proficient with the following in-water skills during introductory cave dives.
Candidates must proficiently demonstrate and conduct the student through a selection of the following:
1. Dive planning to include conservative decompression procedures and proper diver etiquette on all
dives.
2. Demonstrate adequate pre-dive briefing, air supply and equipment matching, bubble check, airsharing,
and post-dive critique.
3. Buoyancy control, body posture, and propulsion techniques.
4. Air-sharing drill in full visibility.
5. Air-sharing drill in a lights out situation, touch contact, exiting cave through a restriction using a
single file swimming method..
6. Lost diver and lost line drills.
7. Proper use of reels and guideline; circuits, traverses, jumps and gaps and emergency drills.
8. Proper use and reading of line arrows and non-directional markers.
9. Proper stress identification and countermeasures.
10. Primary light failure drill, exit on back-up.
11. Lost line and lost diver drills.
12. Propulsion techniques for heavy outflow.
NOTE: All situation/emergency drills are to be conducted during the exit of all dives.
NOTE: A continuous guideline to open water must be maintained on all cave dives.
In addition to the above, the candidate must:
1. Complete the TDI Cave Instructor written examination with a minimum grade of 80%.
2. Complete all land drills and cave diving requirements safely and efficiently.
3. Demonstrate mature, sound judgment concerning dive planning and execution.
4. Maintain an appropriate level of awareness and respect for the cave environment.
5. Receive the recommendation for certification by the Training Director.
Note: An irresponsible or cavalier attitude are sufficient grounds to deny certification.

Candidate Ratings
1. Pass: The candidate may teach and certify students for the TDI Cave Diving Course, after proper
processing of paperwork through TDI Headquarters.
2. Provisional: The candidate needs additional development before teaching courses at this level of
training. The candidate will need to provide proof to the Training Director when he meets
developmental improvements according to TDI Standards. The candidate will not have to repeat
the evaluation program.
3. Failure: It is the opinion of the Training Director that the candidate is not ready to conduct
training courses at this level. The candidate will need to obtain more experience and repeat the
evaluation program. Certification may be denied if it is determined that the program was not
conducted according to the standards established by TDI.
17.12 Renewal Requirements
1. Have certified at least four (4) Cavern or TDI Intro to Cave Divers and at least two (2) Cave
Divers.
2. Taught a minimum of three (3) complete courses.
3. Logged a minimum of fifteen (15) non-training cave dives.