Online Nitrox Certification

[RayfromTX]

That is a good question, and, to be honest, I cannot give a totally clear answer because I don't know all the rules. I can, though, give some information.

I think one rule might be (not sure) that your agency home address not be a vacant lot. I don't know how that rule would work, but I would guess that would be an issue.

When UTD became an agency out of nowhere, one thing it had to do was become insured. That requires an investigation from the potential insurer to determine if you are an acceptable insurance risk. I know there was an issue with that because some of their standards were different from existing agency policies. One specific example was their failure to teach CESA. They eventually overcame that problem and gained insurance. Thus, their agency is insured, and their instructors can be insured individually.

Once they became an agency, other agencies immediately recognized their certifications. I have certified technical divers who crossed over from UTD, and PADI spelled out to me exactly what I could credit them for based upon their UTD certification level (and why). Other agencies do not recognize SDA's certifications. I do not know the details as to why that would be, but they don't.

Their website says that their online academic program is recognized by all other agencies, and students can take their certificates of completion to any other agency and have it accepted. That is not true. No agency accepts their online work, and the PADI website says that specifically.

Their website used to have a list of dive shops around the nation that they claimed had specifically agreed to accept their certifications. Several were in my home state of Colorado. I called each one of them and asked about it. Not one of them had ever heard of SDA. Not one of them had any idea they were listed in this partnership. Not one of them said they would accept anything from them. I assume there were complaints made after that, because SDA changed the wording on that page, and instead of listing them as partner dive shops, they said that these were high quality dive shops that they recommended so that students could complete their training with them. It was the same list, but this time it did not overtly claim they had any kind of formal agreement among them.

So, no, I don't know exactly why they are not recognized as a legitimate agency; I just know that they aren't. I know that as soon as other agencies came into existence, PADI and other agencies acknowledged their legitimacy, but that has not happened in this case. If this sounds like the kind of operation with which you want to do business, go for it.

That sir is a damned fine answer. There is a reason that you are so admired around here. Well, several actually.

 

[Compressor]

I've said this before, but although "it's not rocket science" I think going through the motions of analyzing, etc., with an instructor emphasizes to the diver that analyzing is not another one of those things that we cynical divers discover is taught in class but rarely done out in the real world. Analyzing is easy and takes just minutes, but it IS a big deal. In the real world people have died from failure to analyze and otherwise follow the protocol.

I found some value in actually being shown how to handle the analyzer, calibrate it with air if necessary, and then go through the motions of actually filling out a sticker with F02, MOD, my initials, and date. In a shop, there's often a log on a clipboard to fill out with the same information. It's a protocol, and the diver should come away from the course with the impression that even outside of a class setting this protocol is taken seriously.

Many great answers but this one by Lorenzoid is right on the money AFAIAC. Its not a joke guys; get trained by a qualified instructor and be done with it. It won't take too long and will give you a life long of benefits.

 

[ljpm]

I don't think you will find a single dive business that is not looking to make money. That does not change the validity of their purpose in the industry. I know we all bust PADI's chops from time to time, but damn dude they need to make money like everyone else.

I have no problem with them making money.

 

[ljpm]

Yep, it sure is.

Can you tell me the difference between a profit making organization and a non-profit organization? Just for comparison sake, compare a profit making corporation like PADI to a non-profit organization, the the National Football League. Or you can compare it with other major non-profits, making sure to include a reference to the salary structure of its employees, particularly the directors.

You may be shocked to learn that the instructors for all agencies are paid when they instruct, unless they choose to donate their services from time to time, as I did when I certified friends and family members. Similarly, people who sell you cans of paint in a paint store are also paid for the work they do.

I'm not comparing it to a non-profit. PADI is a company and as such has the goal of making money.
You want a comparison, Professional engineers of Ontario. Stated Mission. "Regulate and advance the practice of engineering to protect the public interest." This is the roll of a professional association. See the difference.

 

[swimlikethefish]

is the certification obtained online honored for fills at all LDS's or do they deny fills based on that credential?

Knowing the shop local to you.... There should be no problem. I went to them 3 months ago for 2 hydro/vis/O2 cleanings/and fills. One 50% and the other 100%. They don't know me from Adam, this was my first visit under the new ownership.

It went like this: I get a call 3 weeks after dropping them off stating everything is ready. I show up, they carry both tanks outside and put them next to my truck. They hand me the paperwork. I pay. At this point I left. *disclaimer, I have my own equipment so I can and do analyze my own tanks* I get home and pull the two tanks out of the truck, low and behold no Vis stickers were placed on the tanks.

At this point I felt the new owners needed a lesson. I drove right back and explained how they supposedly cleaned my tanks and did a visual. Then filled them to 50 and 100 without indicating with a visual sticker, that a visual was done and the tanks and valves were O2 serviced. Then they allowed me to leave without analyzing or filling out a log. I told them I wanted the air dumped, tanks reinspected, recleaned, and refilled. They agreed.
They call me 45 minutes later and said they were done. There is no way on God's green earth they had enough time to do all of that to two tanks in 45 minutes. What really happened was they took the tanks to the back and slapped 2 Vis stickers on them.
Long story short, they never asked for a card for a fill. I don't think you would have a problem getting them to recognize some b.s. online certificate you printed out.
I did end up dumping the O2 and having the tanks cleaned and labeled by a more reputable operation, then I reported them to their agency.

Personal note: if you decide on ever going tec, take the nitrox that would be required as your precursor to advanced nitrox. The cheap computer nitrox courses do not count if you use tdi as an agency. So spend the extra $$ and do it right the first time.