My descent into becoming a RAID instructor...

[The Chairman]

all that coupled with owning a home in Mexico's cave country.

I'll come down and carry your tanks, mon ami!

 

[RAID MARKETING]

I'll come down and carry your tanks, mon ami!

You're always welcome. Just let me know when you plan to be in town.

¡Espero verte pronto!

 

[The Chairman]

¡Espero verte pronto!

Gracias!!!

 

[noserider]

Did my first raid course a few weeks ago, my thoughts as a student

1 - great that a lot of the course syllabus and standards are available as free lessons
2- Manuals are very well written and accessible unlike PADI etc
3 - standards seem far higher for a recreational diver than other agencies bar possibly BSAC
4 - Website is great to use with loads of content - but a little glitchy, for example if you have done a free course then you cannot buy it from the website if you want to get it certified
5 - Exams and skills sign off online is an improvemnt
6 - having to use the RAID dive log is a good idea, but it would be great if could link to dive computers as it takes loads of time to log dives and most divers will be logging dives with other systems and RAID needs to make the data transfer as easy as possible
7-I will look for RAID instructors for future courses ahead of other agencies due to the better standards and calibre of their instructors

I do however have one major concern, I can see them starting to chase revenue as their reach expands and this could easily lead to a dumbing down of standards and their current USP due to a salami slicing of standards whether in courses or allowing more instructors in.

 

[OMyMyOHellYes]

Did my first raid course a few weeks ago, my thoughts as a student

6 - having to use the RAID dive log is a good idea, but it would be great if could link to dive computers as it takes loads of time to log dives and most divers will be logging dives with other systems and RAID needs to make the data transfer as easy as possible

Wait - I have to log stuff to get RAID certs? In their log book? I was wanting to do their Deco 50 course. I like that RAID is locally based. I like that I can walk into the RAID CEO's dive shop and get tank fills or look at cool gear I can only lust after at this point.

But.

Me no log stuff. If my Shearwater wants to, I'm OK with it doing it, but I will not put forth any effort to write stuff down or manually enter it.

What is this log of which you speak?

 

[noserider]

I like that I can walk into the RAID CEO's dive shop and get tank fills or look at cool gear I can only lust after at this point.

But.

Me no log stuff. If my Shearwater wants to, I'm OK with it doing it, but I will not put forth any effort to write stuff down or manually enter it.

What is this log of which you speak?

Ask the CEO whether it is mandatory? I had to sign off my dives and there was a log that looked like it was mandatory, perhaps only for the training dives

 

[Edward3c]

I like that I can walk into the RAID CEO's dive shop and get tank fills or look at cool gear I can only lust after at this point.

I find that interesting.

I get told in Thialand the owner and CEO of RAID lives there, in the UK I've had the RAID CEO (based near Manchester) ask if they could merge with BSAC. Now there is a RAID CEO in the US.

Some joined up organisation, not.

 

[The Chairman]

Some joined up organisation, not.

Different rules for different coutries. All US based agencies require insurance, though that's not required overseas. So you'll find that there's a PADI American CEO, and then there's an Asian CEO as well. I think that's true of NAUI as well, but I'm not sure.

 

[noserider]

So really they are country or region heads - more commonly called VP's or MD's

 

[The Chairman]

So really they are country or region heads - more commonly called VP's or MD's

They are incorporated in the country they are operating in, so they are indeed, CEOs.