Originally Posted by ChrisN
Vario, short for variometer, is usually used in English
AFAIK only in gliding terminology. Our glider varios are sensitive to small changes in vertical velocity. The equivalent instrument in powered aircraft, from small single engine to airliners, is usually called a VSI (again,
AFAIK) – Vertical Speed Indicator.
I suspect the same term for both is used in France – vario. If my surmise is correct, we have a translation from French to English of “vario” to “vario”, whereas it would be more usual to translate vario as VSI.
Hope that helps. If I have it wrong, and English usage in airliners is to call it a vario after all, I shall stand corrected (and have learnt something!).
I can teach you nothing : I may only answer to the french half of your question :
1. For the instrument/system mesuring vertical speed, in french, we use the common acronym VSI only in airliner, to be easely understood for maintenance papers and books. We use it also on small aircrafts to be pedantic !
2. IVSI is the instrument/system too, mostly used in gliders or by paragliders for the instantaneous vertical speed indicator with accelerometer.
3. "variomètre" is the prehistoric world ... still used for the instrument, as french aviation is still on Mermoz century, and stopped with Concorde...
Despite the word seems to refer to the meter, it may be calibrated in FT/mn as well as m/mn. (~meter refer to latin word for mesure and not to metric system)
4. French speaking pilots use "vario" or "Vs" or Vz for the name of the information showed by the system/instrument. It is shorter to say "vario" then "vitesse verticale", or "vitesse ascentionelle".
I hope a english speaking linguist/pilot will answer to the second half of your question, and despite my user name I am not dutch...