Helicopters over Bellflower

Live helicopter tracking for Bellflower, Los Angeles County — updated every few seconds.

Area briefing

Bellflower, Los Angeles County

Checking the sky overhead…

GTLA AirWatch · Live area briefing · positions from ADS-B, rechecked every 20 seconds

Map of Bellflower, Los Angeles County
Scanning
Live map — checking for helicopters over Bellflower… The dashed ring is the 3.5 km radius this page counts as “over Bellflower”; inner rings mark one-third and two-thirds of that distance.

Today over Bellflower

Nothing overhead now. The last helicopter left 48 minutes ago, heading northeast.

Verbs like “held over” and “circled” describe the recorded flight path, not what was happening on the ground. Nothing here states a crime, a fire or a casualty.

Who's hovering here?View the full live map

Recent incidents over Bellflower

The sky over Bellflower

1,443helicopter passes tracked over 66 days
153.0
passes per week
5.6
hours overhead per week
6 PM
busiest hour
Sheriff
most common overhead

By hour of day

12a
3a
6a
9a
12p
3p
6p
9p
Busiest hour: 6p · this hour (1p) has averaged 74 passes historically

Who flies over Bellflower

  • Sheriff34%
  • Private33%
  • Police24%
  • News6%
  • CHP1%
  • Other1%

The regulars over Bellflower

The aircraft recorded here most often — the ones you’ll see again.

Who flies over Bellflower, by the numbers

Sheriff's helicopters over Bellflower

496 of 1,443 recorded passes over Bellflower were sheriff's helicopters — 34% of the traffic here, 18.4 hours overhead in total.

Most often: LASD (N962LA), 17 recorded passestypically 600–750 ft

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

Private and charter helicopters over Bellflower

476 of 1,443 recorded passes over Bellflower were private and charter helicopters — 33% of the traffic here, 17 hours overhead in total.

typically 600–800 ft

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

Police helicopters over Bellflower

353 of 1,443 recorded passes over Bellflower were police helicopters — 24% of the traffic here, 13.6 hours overhead in total.

Most often: SkyKnight (N930DK), 40 recorded passesusually 9pm–12amtypically 550–700 ft

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

News helicopters over Bellflower

86 of 1,443 recorded passes over Bellflower were news helicopters — 6% of the traffic here, 2.4 hours overhead in total.

Most often: SkyCAL / SkyFOX 11 (N39CL), 6 recorded passesusually 6am–9amtypically 650–1,000 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.

What it usually means

Sheriff (LASD): Sheriff's helicopters typically orbit for a search, a pursuit, or to support deputies on the ground.

Private / civil: Private and civil helicopters are usually in transit, on a charter, or on a survey flight.

Police (LAPD / municipal): Police helicopters typically orbit for a search, a pursuit, or to support officers on the ground. A tight circle overhead usually means the activity is directly below.

News helicopter: News helicopters usually mean live coverage of a developing story — a pursuit, a fire, or a scene the station is broadcasting.

Recent helicopter activity

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Helicopters over Bellflower common questions

Is that a sheriff's helicopter over Bellflower?

Sheriff's helicopters account for 34% of the 1,443 helicopter passes recorded over Bellflower. The one you see most is LASD (N962LA), 17 recorded passes. They typically fly at 600–750 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.

Why is a police helicopter circling over Bellflower?

Police helicopters account for 24% of the 1,443 helicopter passes recorded over Bellflower. The one you see most is SkyKnight (N930DK), 40 recorded passes. They are usually 9pm–12am here. They typically fly at 550–700 ft above sea level. 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 news helicopter over Bellflower?

News helicopters account for 6% of the 1,443 helicopter passes recorded over Bellflower. The one you see most is SkyCAL / SkyFOX 11 (N39CL), 6 recorded passes. They are usually 6am–9am here. They typically fly at 650–1,000 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.

How high do helicopters fly over Bellflower?

From the passes recorded here: sheriff's helicopters at 600–750 ft; private and charter helicopters at 600–800 ft; police helicopters at 550–700 ft; news helicopters at 650–1,000 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 Bellflower?

Most passes are brief — a minute or two straight through. The aircraft that stay longest here are sheriff's helicopters: 18.4 hours overhead across 496 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 AirWatch 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.

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