Helicopters over Bell

Sheriff's helicopters over Bell

1,598 of 2,253 recorded passes over Bell were sheriff's helicopters — 71% of the traffic here, 49.8 hours overhead in total.

Most often: LASD (N956LA), 44 recorded passestypically 650–850 ft

Sheriff's aircraft fly patrol, search and rescue across the county, and orbit a scene the same way police aircraft do.

News helicopters over Bell

283 of 2,253 recorded passes over Bell were news helicopters — 13% of the traffic here, 7 hours overhead in total.

Most often: SkyFOX 11 / SkyCAL (N93DD), 11 recorded passestypically 1,000–1,300 ft

News helicopters hold a wider circle at a higher altitude and arrive after a story is already underway; several at once usually means something is being covered live.

Private and charter helicopters over Bell

262 of 2,253 recorded passes over Bell were private and charter helicopters — 12% of the traffic here, 6.2 hours overhead in total.

Most often: Robinson Helicopter (N13FR), 3 recorded passesusually 1pm–4pmtypically 950–1,400 ft

Private and charter aircraft are usually in transit, on a tour or a survey flight, and pass through without stopping.

Police helicopters over Bell

60 of 2,253 recorded passes over Bell were police helicopters — 3% of the traffic here, 4.3 hours overhead in total.

Police aircraft typically fly tight, repeated orbits over one spot to support officers on the ground, and can hold for a long time.

Is that a sheriff's helicopter over Bell?

Sheriff's helicopters account for 71% of the 2,253 helicopter passes recorded over Bell. The one you see most is LASD (N956LA), 44 recorded passes. They typically fly at 650–850 ft above sea level. Sheriff's aircraft fly patrol, search and rescue across the county, and orbit a scene the same way police aircraft do.

Is that a news helicopter over Bell?

News helicopters account for 13% of the 2,253 helicopter passes recorded over Bell. The one you see most is SkyFOX 11 / SkyCAL (N93DD), 11 recorded passes. They typically fly at 1,000–1,300 ft above sea level. News helicopters hold a wider circle at a higher altitude and arrive after a story is already underway; several at once usually means something is being covered live.

Why is a police helicopter circling over Bell?

Police helicopters account for 3% of the 2,253 helicopter passes recorded over Bell. Police aircraft typically fly tight, repeated orbits over one spot to support officers on the ground, and can hold for a long time.

How high do helicopters fly over Bell?

From the passes recorded here: sheriff's helicopters at 650–850 ft; news helicopters at 1,000–1,300 ft; private and charter helicopters at 950–1,400 ft. These are the middle half of measured altitudes above sea level for each group, not a floor or a ceiling.

How long do helicopters stay over Bell?

Most passes are brief — a minute or two straight through. The aircraft that stay longest here are sheriff's helicopters: 49.8 hours overhead across 1,598 recorded passes. Sheriff's aircraft fly patrol, search and rescue across the county, and orbit a scene the same way police aircraft do.

How can I tell if it's police or a news helicopter?

Police aircraft usually fly tight, repeated orbits over one spot and often stay for a long time. News helicopters tend to hold a wider circle at a higher altitude and arrive after an incident is already underway. This page labels each aircraft by its operator, so you don't have to guess.

Where does this data come from?

GTLA Live tracks public ADS-B and MLAT broadcasts that aircraft transmit about their own position, the same open data used by air-traffic enthusiasts worldwide. It is updated every few seconds.