I have to admit my own ignorance as I have maintained a class 2 since obtaining the instructor rating. I have not been using the commercial ticket for any other endevour thus far. I think the assumption stemmed from the need for a class 2 to exercise the priviledges of commercial pilot and the prerequisite of a commercial cert before obtaining your CFI. Not to mention the past history of a couple friends who stopped instructing when they informed me they no longer wanted to deal with the hassles of a class 2 cert after some cardiac issues.
I suspect this misunderstanding is widespread and wanted to throw this info out for everyone to keep in mind. I have to thank John McBean, owner of Kitfox Aircraft, for setting me straight.

http://www.aopa.org/asf/publications/in ... ticle=4674

http://flightphysical.com/part61/61....tification.htm

Another thought along these lines. Out of habit, from younger days... some pilots apply for a higher class than they really need. Especially CFI's. The current thinking is NEVER ask for a higher class than the minimum you need at the time. If your flying is incidental to your primary business... operate under a class III. The paperwork and delays are painful if you bust a class two and then attempt to downgrade to class three.

For all practical purposes, the difference between a II and a III is eyesight and the time between exams. I have a special issuance II, but if I had had a III, I'd still have to have a special issuance. I started getting a II when I was instructing and doing SE charter 35 years ago, and I've just stuck with it over the years. It has forced me to get annual exams, and if I hadn't done that, my prostate cancer wouldn't have been discovered as soon as it was, and my chances for survival would have gone down significantly. So while some of us old farts may choose to avoid physicals, I for one am glad that I have had them regularly.

Cary