Helicopters over Cajon Pass

Live helicopter tracking for Cajon Pass, San Bernardino County — updated every few seconds.

Area briefing

Cajon Pass, San Bernardino County

Checking the sky overhead…

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

Map of Cajon Pass, San Bernardino County
Scanning
Live map — checking for helicopters over Cajon Pass… The dashed ring is the 8 km radius this page counts as “over Cajon Pass”; inner rings mark one-third and two-thirds of that distance.

Tonight over Cajon Pass

Nothing overhead now — quiet for the last 9 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 Cajon Pass

542helicopter passes tracked over 64 days
59.3
passes per week
3.9
hours overhead per week
3 PM
busiest hour
Private
most common overhead

By hour of day

12a
3a
6a
9a
12p
3p
6p
9p
Busiest hour: 3p · this hour (7p) has averaged 33 passes historically

Who flies over Cajon Pass

  • Private52%
  • Sheriff28%
  • Military8%
  • CHP6%
  • Fire / medical5%
  • Other2%

The regulars over Cajon Pass

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

Who flies over Cajon Pass, by the numbers

Private and charter helicopters over Cajon Pass

284 of 542 recorded passes over Cajon Pass were private and charter helicopters — 52% of the traffic here, 15.1 hours overhead in total.

Most often: REACH (N36RX), 17 recorded passestypically 3,500–5,400 ft

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

Sheriff's helicopters over Cajon Pass

151 of 542 recorded passes over Cajon Pass were sheriff's helicopters — 28% of the traffic here, 11.9 hours overhead in total.

Most often: San Bernardino Sheriff (N833SB), 16 recorded passestypically 2,950–3,600 ft

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

Military helicopters over Cajon Pass

41 of 542 recorded passes over Cajon Pass were military helicopters — 8% of the traffic here, 2.4 hours overhead in total.

Most often: US ARMY (20-21168), 4 recorded passesusually 12pm–3pmtypically 3,150–6,050 ft

Military aircraft are almost always transiting between bases or on training flights; they rarely orbit a neighborhood.

CHP helicopters over Cajon Pass

30 of 542 recorded passes over Cajon Pass were CHP helicopters — 6% of the traffic here, 3.4 hours overhead in total.

Most often: CHP (N985HP), 12 recorded passestypically 3,400–5,000 ft

CHP aircraft work the freeways — pursuits, major collisions and traffic enforcement — and usually pass through rather than hold.

What it usually means

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

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.

CHP: CHP aircraft are usually working a freeway incident, a pursuit, or a traffic investigation.

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Helicopters over Cajon Pass common questions

Is that a sheriff's helicopter over Cajon Pass?

Sheriff's helicopters account for 28% of the 542 helicopter passes recorded over Cajon Pass. The one you see most is San Bernardino Sheriff (N833SB), 16 recorded passes. They typically fly at 2,950–3,600 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 Cajon Pass?

From the passes recorded here: private and charter helicopters at 3,500–5,400 ft; sheriff's helicopters at 2,950–3,600 ft; military helicopters at 3,150–6,050 ft; CHP helicopters at 3,400–5,000 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 Cajon Pass?

Most passes are brief — a minute or two straight through. The aircraft that stay longest here are private and charter helicopters: 15.1 hours overhead across 284 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.

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