The vertical speed indicator shows the rate of climb or descent in which units?

• A. Feet per minute.
• B. Meters per second.
• C. Knots.
• D. Kilometers per hour.

Answer: (A)

The vertical speed indicator shows how quickly the aircraft is changing altitude—the rate of climb or descent. That rate is given in feet per minute, which is the traditional unit used in aviation for vertical motion. This makes it easy to read at a glance how fast you’re gaining or losing altitude (for example, +1000 means climbing 1000 feet each minute, while -500 means descending 500 feet per minute). Knots or kilometers per hour measure horizontal speed, not vertical change, and while some metric-equipped aircraft could display different units, the standard VSI reading in most training and general aviation contexts is feet per minute.