Which action describes eliminating or decreasing the characteristic of an aid to navigation?

• A. Eliminate or decrease characteristic of aid
• B. Reposition the aid
• C. Increase the aid's characteristic
• D. Replace the aid

Answer: (A)

In aids to navigation, the characteristic is the distinctive signal that helps mariners identify the aid—such as a light’s color and flash pattern or a sound signal. Eliminating or decreasing that characteristic means turning off or dampening that signal so the aid no longer presents its identifying feature. This is what happens when an aid is decommissioned or its signaling is reduced so it no longer serves as a navigational cue. Repositioning would change where the aid is, increasing the signal would strengthen it rather than remove it, and replacing the aid would swap it out for a different device rather than simply reducing its characteristic.