Mike Traud DPE Checkride Gouges

Oral Emphasis

Traud's oral exams focus heavily on how you would teach the material, not just whether you know it. Reports highlight these recurring topic areas:

• Multi-engine aerodynamics: VMC (what it is, what affects it), critical engine factors (P-factor, Accelerated slipstream, Spiraling slipstream, Torque — "PAST"), and how to make these concepts accessible to a student with no multi-engine background.
• Endorsements: Knowing exactly which endorsements a student needs for a specific scenario — for example, a commercial single-engine pilot adding a multi-engine rating in a Seminole. Don't overlook the complex endorsement. He recommends being familiar with AC 61-65H for endorsement guidance.
• Runway incursion avoidance: Required topic, but he tailors the depth based on what he's already seen from you. He may ask how you'd teach runway incursion awareness differently in a multi-engine context — think about the added workload and sensory overload for a student transitioning to a bigger, more complex airplane.
• Emergency procedures: Heavy emphasis on one-engine-inoperative (OEI) procedures and how you'd teach them. Less focus on rote SMACFU recitation and more on practical understanding and instructional approach.

Common Questions

Traud's questions tend to be scenario-based and instructionally framed. Pilots reported being asked things like:

• How would you teach VMC to someone who knows nothing about multi-engine flying?
• What endorsements does a specific pilot (with a defined certificate and experience level) need before a checkride? Walk through the scenario carefully.
• How would you adapt your teaching of runway incursion avoidance for a student new to multi-engine aircraft?
• How do you explain critical engine factors, and how do you make each factor intuitive rather than just a memorized acronym?

He's looking for your ability to break down complex topics into teachable moments — not textbook regurgitation.

Practical Focus

Gouge data on the flight portion is limited in detail, but reports indicate the practical test covers standard multi-engine maneuvers with an emphasis on OEI scenarios and teaching demonstrations. Expect to demonstrate and explain maneuvers as if instructing a student throughout the flight. One report described a comprehensive flight that aligned closely with the oral discussion topics — multi-engine aerodynamics in practice, engine-out procedures, and airmanship fundamentals.

Examiner Style

Traud is conversational and approachable. Multiple reports describe the oral as more of a discussion than an interrogation — he engages with your answers and builds on them rather than firing off a checklist of questions. He remembers previous rides with you (if applicable) and adjusts his questioning accordingly, spending less time on areas he's already evaluated. He starts early (reported 0630 start time at KMHR), so be prepared for a morning session. He reviews paperwork thoroughly upfront before diving into content.

What Surprised Pilots

• He tracks your history: If Traud has examined you before (e.g., CFI initial), he remembers what you presented and may abbreviate topics he's already evaluated you on. This is unusual and generally works in your favor.
• The endorsement curveball: Pilots were caught off guard by the specificity of endorsement scenarios. The complex endorsement requirement for the Seminole was an easy one to miss. Know your endorsements cold — AC 61-65H is your friend.
• Teaching emphasis over knowledge recitation: Even on technical topics like VMC and critical engine factors, the focus was on how you'd teach it to a real student, not whether you could define it. Come with a teaching plan, not just flashcard answers.