Originally Posted by organfreak
... what is "vario?"
In the A330 the vertical speed indicator is to the right of the altitude tape and counter on the PFD. See for example page 48 of the second interim report. It consists of (1) an analog pointer that points to a vertical speed scale in white on a grey background graduated at intervals of 500 ft/min and (2) if the V/S is greater than 200 ft/min, a digital window showing the V/S in hundreds of feet per minute.
The analog pointer and the digital indication are normally green, but if the V/S is greater than 6000 ft/min they become amber and the pointer stays at the end of the scale.