JohnBurke

Wow. What arrogance and condescension.

I'm not "still flying 182's," though I do fly them, along with a few other things. Some of those things pay more than the the recently vaunted Delta contract for senior captains, on an hourly basis, so tamp down your slathering chutzpah a bit. I'm also type rated in a number of widebody aircraft and have flown them as captain, yet still maintain some privileges as commercial-only.

The commercial pilot certificate is NOT a 'transition" certificate by any stretch of the imagination. A great many work commercially without any need, nor desire to complete the ATP, just as many who complete the ATP never need it for their employment.

Whether any "new skills" are tested or not is irrelevant. One can't work for compensation nor hire with a private pilot certificate, but one can, with a commercial. Perhaps you feel it's about anatomy-measuring, or "proving" something. It's not. The commercial is the core, basic certification level to be compensated for flying aircraft. Everything that pays, requires the commercial. One might properly argue that the ATP is a niche level of certification, as it is only required for certain operations...and even the ATP holder is a commercial pilot.

So you're "sorry" that I fly a single engine airplane, are you? Thanks for your pity. That's really special. Really arrogant. Really pathetic. Really offensive, but that's what you intended, isn't it? My best paycheck in my career came in a single engine airplane. Forty five thousand for a two week period. How's that stack up with whatever you make, that you'd be "sorry" for someone making a living with a commercial? Not so good? Measure your little anatomy somewhere else, kiddo.

The commercial is not a "transitional certificate." I've been making a living with mine since I was a teen, and I'm far from alone. Again, in the context of that student looking to earn his ratings, should he choose to obtain his CFI, that requires a commercial. NOT an ATP.

There is no "commercial certificate," incidentally. Just a pilot certificate. There are varying levels of pilot certification. ATP is one of them. The commercial level of certification is not transitory. It's a level of privilege. If you hold commercial privileges on your pilot certificate and obtain ATP privileges, you don't have a new type of certificate, just a different privilege on a pilot certificate. Moreover, it's quite common to hold commercial privileges in one category/class, ATP in another, and quite possibly, private in another, as these are merely representations of privileges accorded; it's the same pilot certificate, with different levels of privilege.

JohnBurke

In lieu of an intelligent reply, you offer insults. No surprise.