Definition
An autopilot pitch mode that commands the aircraft to climb or descend at a pilot-selected rate, expressed in feet per minute. The autopilot adjusts pitch attitude as needed to hold the selected vertical speed, regardless of how that affects airspeed.
Plain English
A setting on the autopilot where you tell it how fast to go up or down in feet per minute, and it pitches the nose to keep that rate.
Context Anchor
Seen on autopilot and flight director mode controls and displays when selecting or monitoring climb and descent modes.
Why Pilots Care
Selecting a precise vertical speed lets the pilot meet ATC clearances, maintain terrain clearance, and stay on published approach profiles.
Intuition Check
Do not read “speed” here as forward speed across the ground or through the air. V/S means vertical speed: how fast the aircraft is moving up or down.
Example Sentence 1
After leveling off briefly, the pilot selected V/S and dialed in 500 feet per minute to continue the climb to the assigned altitude.
Example Sentence 2
To stay on the arrival profile, the autopilot held a V/S of minus 600 feet per minute.