diff --git a/simgear/timing/sg_time.cxx b/simgear/timing/sg_time.cxx
index f354967c..39c78c85 100644
--- a/simgear/timing/sg_time.cxx
+++ b/simgear/timing/sg_time.cxx
@@ -90,7 +90,8 @@ void SGTime::init( const SGGeod& location, const SGPath& root, time_t init_time
 
         SGTimeZone* nearestTz = static_tzContainer->getNearest(location);
         if (nearestTz) {
-            SGPath name = root / nearestTz->getDescription();
+            description = nearestTz->getDescription();
+            SGPath name = root / description;
             zonename = name.utf8Str();
             SG_LOG( SG_EVENT, SG_DEBUG, "Using zonename = " << zonename );
         } else {
@@ -117,11 +118,6 @@ SGTime::SGTime() {
 }
 
 
-SGTime::~SGTime()
-{
-}
-
-
 // given Julian Date and Longitude (decimal degrees West) compute
 // Local Sidereal Time, in decimal hours.
 //
@@ -231,9 +227,10 @@ void SGTime::updateLocal( const SGGeod& aLocation, const SGPath& root ) {
     time_t currGMT;
     time_t aircraftLocalTime;
     SGTimeZone* nearestTz = static_tzContainer->getNearest(location);
-    SGPath zone( root );
-    zone.append ( nearestTz->getDescription() );
+    description = nearestTz->getDescription();
+    SGPath zone = root / description;
     zonename = zone.utf8Str();
+    SG_LOG( SG_EVENT, SG_DEBUG, "Using zonename = " << zonename );
 
     //Avoid troubles when zone.tab hasn't got the right line endings
     if (zonename[zonename.size()-1] == '\r')
diff --git a/simgear/timing/sg_time.hxx b/simgear/timing/sg_time.hxx
index df12d04e..d2d9368b 100644
--- a/simgear/timing/sg_time.hxx
+++ b/simgear/timing/sg_time.hxx
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@
 // forward decls
 class SGPath;
 class SGGeod;
- 
+
 /**
  * A class to calculate and manage a variety of time parameters.
  * The SGTime class provides many real-world time values. It
@@ -63,9 +63,12 @@ class SGTime {
 
 private:
 
-    // Points to the current local timezone name;
+    // Points to the current local timezone filename
     std::string zonename;
 
+    // Points to the current local timezone description
+    std::string description;
+
     // Unix "calendar" time in seconds
     time_t cur_time;
 
@@ -129,9 +132,9 @@ public:
     SGTime( const SGPath& root );
 
     /** Destructor */
-    ~SGTime();
+    ~SGTime() = default;
 
-    /** 
+    /**
      * Update the time related variables.
      * The update() method requires you to pass in your position and
      * an optional time offset in seconds. The offset (or warp) allows
@@ -163,9 +166,12 @@ public:
     /** @return current system/unix time in seconds */
     inline time_t get_cur_time() const { return cur_time; };
 
-    /** @return time zone name for your current position*/
+    /** @return time zone filename for your current position */
     inline const char * get_zonename() const { return zonename.c_str(); }
 
+    /** @return time zone description for your current position */
+    inline const char * get_description() const { return description.c_str(); }
+
     /** @return GMT in a "brokent down" tm structure */
     inline struct tm* getGmt()const { return (struct tm *)&m_gmt; };
 
@@ -200,7 +206,7 @@ public:
  * @param second current second
  * @return unix/system time in seconds
  */
-time_t sgTimeGetGMT(int year, int month, int day, 
+time_t sgTimeGetGMT(int year, int month, int day,
 		    int hour, int minute, int second);
 
 /**