Zulu Time

Just like English is the standardized language for aviation, Zulu time is the standard aviation time. These standardizations are done for safety. Imagine if all pilots were on their own time zone. One pilot’s 4:00 might be another’s noon.

There is a standard way to keep time. All flights are filed and reported on the primary time zone: Coordinated Universal Time UTC (previously referred to as Greenwich Mean Time and also known as Zulu time in aviation).

Times are also report in military.

Our Central Time Zone is equivalent to Zulu time minus six hours.

Let’s practice: Convert the Central times below for aviation purposes.

1.	10:00 AM	_______________________________
2.	2:00 PM	_______________________________
3.	4:00 AM	_______________________________
4.	9:00 AM	_______________________________

If it’s this time in Zulu time, what time is it in Central time?

5.	2300Z	_______________________________
6.	0420Z	_______________________________
7.	1145Z	_______________________________
8.	1800Z	_______________________________

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