Helicopters over Bloomington

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

Area briefing

Checking the sky overhead…

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

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

Last night over Bloomington

Nothing overhead now — quiet for the last 8 hours.

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

The sky over Bloomington

219helicopter passes tracked over 30 days
51.1
passes per week
2.1
hours overhead per week
6 PM
busiest hour
Private
most common overhead

By hour of day

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

Who flies over Bloomington

  • Private46%
  • Police33%
  • Sheriff15%
  • Military2%
  • News2%
  • Other2%

The regulars over Bloomington

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

Who flies over Bloomington, by the numbers

Private and charter helicopters over Bloomington

100 of 219 recorded passes over Bloomington were private and charter helicopters — 46% of the traffic here, 3.4 hours overhead in total.

typically 1,550–1,900 ft

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

Police helicopters over Bloomington

72 of 219 recorded passes over Bloomington were police helicopters — 33% of the traffic here, 2.8 hours overhead in total.

Most often: Fontana PD (N166PD), 25 recorded passesusually 7pm–10pmtypically 1,550–1,700 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 Bloomington

33 of 219 recorded passes over Bloomington were sheriff's helicopters — 15% of the traffic here, 2.4 hours overhead in total.

Most often: San Bernardino Sheriff (N832SB), 9 recorded passesusually 10pm–1amtypically 1,450–1,650 ft

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

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.

Military: Military aircraft are usually transiting between bases or on a training route rather than responding to anything local.

Recent helicopter activity

Nearby coverage

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Helicopters over Bloomington common questions

Why is a police helicopter circling over Bloomington?

Police helicopters account for 33% of the 219 helicopter passes recorded over Bloomington. The one you see most is Fontana PD (N166PD), 25 recorded passes. They are usually 7pm–10pm here. They typically fly at 1,550–1,700 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 Bloomington?

Sheriff's helicopters account for 15% of the 219 helicopter passes recorded over Bloomington. The one you see most is San Bernardino Sheriff (N832SB), 9 recorded passes. They are usually 10pm–1am here. They typically fly at 1,450–1,650 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.

How high do helicopters fly over Bloomington?

From the passes recorded here: private and charter helicopters at 1,550–1,900 ft; police helicopters at 1,550–1,700 ft; sheriff's helicopters at 1,450–1,650 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 Bloomington?

Most passes are brief — a minute or two straight through. The aircraft that stay longest here are private and charter helicopters: 3.4 hours overhead across 100 recorded passes. Private and charter aircraft are usually in transit, on a tour or a survey flight, and pass through without stopping.

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.