Which instrument shows the rate of climb or descent?

Which instrument shows the rate of climb or descent?

• A. Altimeter
• B. Vertical Velocity Indicator
• C. Airspeed Indicator
• D. Attitude Indicator

Answer: (B)

The main idea is measuring how quickly you’re changing altitude, which is vertical speed. The instrument that shows this is the vertical velocity indicator. It monitors the rate at which ambient static pressure changes as you climb or descend and converts that pressure change into a readout of climb or descent rate (typically feet per minute). When you rise, the indicator shows a positive rate; when you descend, it shows a negative rate, and it goes to zero in level flight. This is different from the altimeter, which displays your current altitude, and from the airspeed indicator, which shows forward speed. The attitude indicator, meanwhile, shows the aircraft’s orientation relative to the horizon. The vertical velocity indicator reacts to how fast the altitude is changing, not your absolute height or your airspeed.

The main idea is measuring how quickly you’re changing altitude, which is vertical speed. The instrument that shows this is the vertical velocity indicator. It monitors the rate at which ambient static pressure changes as you climb or descend and converts that pressure change into a readout of climb or descent rate (typically feet per minute). When you rise, the indicator shows a positive rate; when you descend, it shows a negative rate, and it goes to zero in level flight.

This is different from the altimeter, which displays your current altitude, and from the airspeed indicator, which shows forward speed. The attitude indicator, meanwhile, shows the aircraft’s orientation relative to the horizon. The vertical velocity indicator reacts to how fast the altitude is changing, not your absolute height or your airspeed.