Definition
An autopilot operating mode in which the pilot selects a target rate of climb or descent, expressed in feet per minute, and the autopilot adjusts pitch to hold that rate until the pilot changes the setting or selects a different mode.
Plain English
A setting on the autopilot where you tell it how fast you want to climb or descend in feet per minute, and it flies the airplane to keep that rate.
Context Anchor
Seen on autopilot control panels and on the main flight display when using automatic flight controls during climbs or descents.
Derivation
Mode comes from a Latin word meaning “manner” or “way.” In aviation automation, a mode is the particular way the system is working, so Vertical Speed Mode means the system is working to control the airplane’s up-or-down rate.
Why Pilots Care
Enables precise altitude management and compliance with air traffic control instructions during climbs and descents.
Intuition Check
Vertical Speed Mode does not mean the airplane will automatically hold altitude or airspeed. It means the system is trying to hold the selected up-or-down rate.
Example Sentence 1
After level-off was cleared, the captain selected Vertical Speed Mode and dialed in a 500-foot-per-minute descent toward the next altitude.
Example Sentence 2
In Vertical Speed Mode, the autopilot adjusts the pitch to hold the selected rate while the pilot monitors airspeed.