Gue utd dir

[rjack321]

Plus the name sounds like a sexually transmitted disease.

And very virulent one it is too!!

 

[Bismark]

I think they would care because UTD is providing curriculum for those agencies instructors to use. From what I read it sounds like the agency is bypassed, and the instructor is "accredited" to use UTD materials in their respective agencies courses.

Those certifying agencies' reputation, insurance, and business model is based on a curriculum that is specific to them. If you have another agency providing materials & curriculum for those agencies instructors, doesn't that nullify, or at least damage (in a business sense) those things?

Blister

My understanding is that UTD does not "bypass" any agency standards at all. It is a means of establishing that a particular instructor has met additional requirements in addition to the agency standards. Those additional requirements are essentially "DIR" in nature. Thus, a TDI or ANDI or IANTD instructor could take the UTD training and be accredited with being able to teach his course as "DIR". I think it is important to note that DIR and GUE are not synonomous. GUE is an agency while, as other posters have pointed out "DIR" is an integrated system of diving and is not agency specific. Following DIR principles does not necessarily make you a GUE member.

The "good housekeeping seal of approval" is a good analogy.

As an aside, you may find it interesting to learn the credentials of the person behind UTD.

 

[Kevrumbo]

Actually, IMO the correct and more dignified term is UDT --"Unified Dive Team"-- a term I first heard used by John Walker and Michael Kane, circa year 2000 and saw before in the old rec.scuba newsgroups. (--also UDT stands for the Navy's old Underwater Demolition Team, the precursor to today's SEALS. . .).

"UTD" is also a Medical Acronym for Urinary Tract Disorder/Disease, like the kind you get when you don't wash out & disinfect your P-valve (among other things. . . )

 

[Charlie99]

I was trying to figure out how UTD related to 5th-dx. The logo on the 5thd-x page made it pretty clear.

Up until this point I had thought that the only DIR specific course offerings were provided by GUE.

While only GUE can provide GUE training, most people would consider training by Andrew Georgitsis, the former training director of GUE to be DIR.

 

[Blackwood]

I was trying to figure out how UTD related to 5th-dx. The logo on the 5thd-x page made it pretty clear.

Yah, it would be nice if they didn't change their name around once a year. Can never tell whether 5thd-x will stand alone, take me to breakthru, or take me somewhere else entirely.

 

[Bismark]

Actually, IMO the correct and more dignified term is UDT --"Unified Dive Team"-- a term I first heard used by John Walker and Michael Kane, circa year 2000 and saw before in the old rec.scuba newsgroups. (--also UDT stands for the Navy's old Underwater Demolition Team, the precursor to today's SEALS. . .).

"UTD" is also a Medical Acronym for Urinary Tract Disorder/Disease, like the kind you get when you don't wash out & disinfect your P-valve (among other things. . . )

I kept getting UDT and UTD mixed up also as I remembered it from the same precursor to navy Seals. Say it 10 times real fast...... pretty funny about the other definition of UTD... didn't know that and wonder if AG did..

 

[Gombessa]

5thD-X (no longer affiliated with the Seattle dive shop of the same name)
Breakthru Diving
UTD International
Dive Xtras

If ever there was an argument for entropy! I'm very happy to see there's active movement on AG's part though. I was beginning to wonder what was happening with 5thd-X.

 

[HullBlister]

As an aside, you may find it interesting to learn the credentials of the person behind UTD.

I just spent some time reading NG posts circa 03 that seem to show some light friction between him and ol' George Irwin....

Blister

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

5thD-X (no longer affiliated with the Seattle dive shop of the same name)

The Seattle dive shop has since changed its name to Pacific Rim Aquatics.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Gombessa]

The Seattle dive shop has since changed its name to Pacific Rim Aquatics.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Maybe they just haven't updated their online presence yet. Also kind of ironic considering the original intent was for the shop to keep its name and for 5thd-X to transition to something else (guess it was Breakthru, but that didn't look like it completely worked out).

Ah well, hopefully exciting times are ahead for west coast DIR training.