Zulu post callsign?

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04-03-2009, 08:08 PM

N118NW

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Zulu post callsign?

FlightAware > Live Flight Tracker > SKW45Z

Tracking one of my night flights tonight, the regular flight number is SKW4526. Sometimes, like tonight, it's SKW45Z. What's the reason for the zulu?

04-04-2009, 04:27 PM

rickair7777

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Quote:

Originally Posted by N118NW

FlightAware > Live Flight Tracker > SKW45Z

Tracking one of my night flights tonight, the regular flight number is SKW4526. Sometimes, like tonight, it's SKW45Z. What's the reason for the zulu?

Airline flight schedules might have a flight 1234 that does PHX-LAX-PHX.

But the two legs might be flown by two different airplanes, so it's possible that the LAX-PHX leg might depart before the PHX-LAX leg had arrived. This would result in two flight 1234's being in the terminal and/or center airspace at the same time. When that possibility exists, one of the flights will be given a call sign like 34X, 34Z, 34M, etc, etc. It's just to avoid confusion.

04-04-2009, 06:14 PM

N118NW

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Ah that would explain it. I've never seen it before and at my part time job (since I'm not flying as much) I do ramp operations and hearing Skywest 45 Zulu over the radio throws me off (Since I do Delta ops, Skywest flys both Delta and United) but now I know

04-06-2009, 02:24 PM

OscarOscar

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Quote:

Originally Posted by N118NW

A ton of flights originating from SLC/Delta have flight number callsigns like that. The other day we were something like 4685 but were given 56Z or 17J. I have had it happen in DEN once on the United side though.

OO.