Vertical Speed Indicator
What is vertical speed indicator?
The Vertical Speed Indicator (VSI) is a pitot-static instrument that shows how fast the aircraft is climbing or descending, usually in feet per minute. It works by sensing the rate of change in static (atmospheric) pressure, so it reads zero in level flight and deflects up or down when you climb or descend. Think of it as your "rate of altitude change" gauge—watch it to confirm a level attitude or a steady climb/descent rate.
Also known as: VSI, vertical velocity indicator, VVI, rate-of-climb indicator
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