Thanks for the photo of the PFD, Dozy. The VS indicator "needle" is the horizontal green line to the right of the present altitude, and graduations can be seen above and below it.
Reference to a very old A320 manual suggests that the graduations are 500, 1000, 1500 and 2000 ft/min. The maximum deflection of the "needle" is 2000 ft/min, but (contrary to what I wrote in my previous post) it may not turn to amber until 6000 ft/min. However, there are other triggers for amber, and other warnings when the a/c deviates from the selected altitude set on the FCU. (The current altitude indication on the PFD may flash.)
I think Dozy is probably right that:
"there is no evidence that the crew had any trouble reading their altitude from the PFDs, nor that they had trouble telling whether they were climbing or descending."
mary meagher,
No, the LHS-pilot cannot see what the RHS-pilot is doing with his/her sidestick, or vice-versa. (In AF447, the PF was in the RHS.)