Mike Traud DPE Checkride Gouges

Two reports are on file for Mike Traud, one for the CFI checkride and one for the MEI. Both describe an examiner who treats the oral like a teaching session. He uses specific scenarios and wants to see how you reason through them. The CFI report frames a comprehensive oral and flight, with focus on teaching methods and practical insights. Plan to explain concepts the way you would to a student, not just recite them.

The MEI report centers on endorsements and multi-engine aerodynamics. Know your endorsement requirements cold and be ready to walk through them in detail. Multi-engine aerodynamics came up directly, so review single-engine performance, drag, and control issues. The examiner expects clear answers on how the airplane behaves with an engine out.

The flight portion in the MEI report covers specific flight patterns and pattern work. Landing technique drew direct feedback, so polish your approaches and touchdowns before you go. Tight, consistent pattern flying matters here. Treat each leg with intention and stay ahead of the airplane.

The CFI flight breakdown ties back to the same teaching theme. Be ready to demonstrate maneuvers while explaining them out loud, the way an instructor would. The examiner brings an experienced perspective and notices how you instruct, not only how you fly. Think about common student errors and how you would correct them.

Across both reports, Mike Traud rewards solid preparation and clear thinking. He builds the oral around scenarios, so practice talking through decisions rather than memorizing facts. For the MEI, lock down endorsements, multi-engine aerodynamics, and clean pattern work. For the CFI, sharpen your teaching delivery on the ground and in the air. These two reports give a useful start, and more applicants adding theirs would round out the picture.