Ace the ATPL Canadian Adventure: Meteorology, Radio Aids, & Flight Planning (SAMRA) 2025 Practice Test – Soar to Success!

A TACAN (Tactical Air Navigation) station transmits UHF azimuth and distance information, which is essential for aircraft navigation. It operates in the Ultra High Frequency (UHF) band, allowing pilots to determine their bearings in relation to the station and calculate their distance from it. This capability is crucial for both military and civilian aviation, as it helps pilots navigate accurately, especially in terms of approach and departure from airports, as well as in-flight positioning.

The azimuth information provided by TACAN helps pilots understand their directional position relative to the station, while the distance information allows them to estimate how far they are from the navigation aid. This dual functionality enhances situational awareness and improves the overall safety and efficiency of air navigation.

Other types of information, like GPS coordinates or weather information, are not transmitted by TACAN stations. Distance and altitude information is a more general category, but TACAN specifically transmits distance and azimuth data rather than altitude. Therefore, the combination of UHF azimuth and distance information is what makes TACAN a valuable navigational aid in aviation operations.