Which instrument is used to monitor vertical speed during flight?

• A. Attitude Indicator
• B. Vertical Speed Indicator (VSI)
• C. Altimeter
• D. Turn Coordinator

Answer: (B)

Vertical speed is the rate at which your altitude is changing, and the instrument that shows this is the Vertical Speed Indicator. It measures how quickly you’re climbing or descending and displays the rate in feet per minute (or meters per minute). The VSI senses changes in static pressure and uses a small calibrated mechanism to translate those pressure changes into a readout of ascent or descent. A positive reading means you’re climbing, a negative reading means you’re descending, and a zero indicates level flight. This helps you maintain a steady vertical profile and coordinate power and pitch accordingly. The attitude indicator shows pitch and bank, the altimeter shows your current altitude, and the turn coordinator shows rate of turn and roll—none of which directly display vertical speed.