One of the callout items used in crew resource management, and one that many pilots are and should be in the habit of using, is “positive rate of climb.” The process of confirming that an initial climb has been established after the airplane leaves the ground is the signal to retract the gear. Even if you’re not currently flying retractable airplanes, it is still a good habit to establish. But having the gear locked in the wells shouldn’t stop you from looking at the vertical speed indicator. The rate of climb can tell you a lot about the health of the airplane.
During the climb phase of flight, your engine is generally asked to put out the most amount of power. If there is anything not quite right under the cowling, you are likely to notice it during the climb if you know what vertical speed to expect.
