The Meaning of “Zulu Time”
Zulu Time is a term used in the aviation industry to refer to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), also known as Greenwich Mean Time. It is a method for telling time which employs the use of a 24-hour clock, which is used by all flight plans.
In addition to Zulu Time, other common terms for UTC include Greenwich Mean Time and Universal Coordinated Time. Military time is an additional term that is often used interchangeably with Zulu Time to refer to this timekeeping system.
To identify Coordinated Universal Time, it is typically indicated with the letter “Z” after the numerals. This practice derives from the international alphabet designation for the letter “Z.” As a result, the term “Zulu Time” has become synonymous with UTC in the aviation industry. By using Zulu Time, flight plans worldwide are able to synchronize to a common standard for timekeeping.
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