Helicopters over Bixby Knolls

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

Area briefing

Bixby Knolls, Los Angeles County

Checking the sky overhead…

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

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

Today over Bixby Knolls

Nothing overhead now. The last helicopter left 47 minutes ago, heading west.

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 Bixby Knolls

The sky over Bixby Knolls

1,569helicopter passes tracked over 66 days
166.4
passes per week
7.4
hours overhead per week
7 PM
busiest hour
Private
most common overhead

By hour of day

12a
3a
6a
9a
12p
3p
6p
9p
Busiest hour: 7p · this hour (2p) has averaged 85 passes historically

Who flies over Bixby Knolls

  • Private48%
  • Police29%
  • Sheriff13%
  • News8%
  • Military2%
  • Other0%

The regulars over Bixby Knolls

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

Who flies over Bixby Knolls, by the numbers

Private and charter helicopters over Bixby Knolls

752 of 1,569 recorded passes over Bixby Knolls were private and charter helicopters — 48% of the traffic here, 26.7 hours overhead in total.

Most often: November Alpha (N197SH), 24 recorded passestypically 450–600 ft

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

Police helicopters over Bixby Knolls

462 of 1,569 recorded passes over Bixby Knolls were police helicopters — 29% of the traffic here, 27 hours overhead in total.

Most often: SkyKnight (N930DK), 32 recorded passesusually 9pm–12amtypically 500–700 ft

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

Sheriff's helicopters over Bixby Knolls

199 of 1,569 recorded passes over Bixby Knolls were sheriff's helicopters — 13% of the traffic here, 8.4 hours overhead in total.

Most often: LASD (N959LA), 9 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.

News helicopters over Bixby Knolls

123 of 1,569 recorded passes over Bixby Knolls were news helicopters — 8% of the traffic here, 6.8 hours overhead in total.

Most often: Sky5 (N925TV), 14 recorded passesusually 5am–8amtypically 550–900 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

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.

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

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

Nearby coverage

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Helicopters over Bixby Knolls common questions

Why is a police helicopter circling over Bixby Knolls?

Police helicopters account for 29% of the 1,569 helicopter passes recorded over Bixby Knolls. The one you see most is SkyKnight (N930DK), 32 recorded passes. They are usually 9pm–12am here. They typically fly at 500–700 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 sheriff's helicopter over Bixby Knolls?

Sheriff's helicopters account for 13% of the 1,569 helicopter passes recorded over Bixby Knolls. The one you see most is LASD (N959LA), 9 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.

Is that a news helicopter over Bixby Knolls?

News helicopters account for 8% of the 1,569 helicopter passes recorded over Bixby Knolls. The one you see most is Sky5 (N925TV), 14 recorded passes. They are usually 5am–8am here. They typically fly at 550–900 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 Bixby Knolls?

From the passes recorded here: private and charter helicopters at 450–600 ft; police helicopters at 500–700 ft; sheriff's helicopters at 600–750 ft; news helicopters at 550–900 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 Bixby Knolls?

Most passes are brief — a minute or two straight through. The aircraft that stay longest here are police helicopters: 27 hours overhead across 462 recorded passes. Police aircraft typically fly tight, repeated orbits over one spot to support officers on the ground, and can hold for a long time.

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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