[303rd-Talk] Altitude instrument

[Ken Rose]

Maurice Paulk wrote:
> I'm confused.
> In the Sunday paper there is a column "Mr. Know-it-all". A man took 
> a hot air balloon ride & ask for the name of the intrument used to 
> determine the altitude:---This was the answer---rate of climb -- 
> vertical speed indicator [VSI]---vertical velocity indicator[VVI] &
> Variometer [vario] are these nomenclatures familiar to any of you??
> As an ex-supply man am I behind times in calling it an "altimeter" ??

No, there's just some confusion somewhere, apparently being that Mr. 
Know-it-all doesn't.  An altimeter measures altitude.  The other 3 
measure the rate of change of altitude.  The variometer is an 
extra-sensitive one, common on gliders.  I have no idea how common they 
may be on balloons.  They all tell you that you're climbing or 
descending such-and-so many feet per minute.

  - ken