Helicopters over Chinatown

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

Area briefing

Chinatown, Los Angeles County

Checking the sky overhead…

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

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

Today over Chinatown

Nothing overhead now. The last helicopter left 16 minutes ago, heading southwest.

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 Chinatown

The sky over Chinatown

2,428helicopter passes tracked over 66 days
257.5
passes per week
14
hours overhead per week
6 PM
busiest hour
Police
most common overhead

By hour of day

12a
3a
6a
9a
12p
3p
6p
9p
Busiest hour: 6p · this hour (1p) has averaged 196 passes historically

Who flies over Chinatown

  • Police76%
  • Private14%
  • News4%
  • Sheriff3%
  • Fire / medical1%
  • Other1%

The regulars over Chinatown

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

Who flies over Chinatown, by the numbers

Police helicopters over Chinatown

1,856 of 2,428 recorded passes over Chinatown were police helicopters — 76% of the traffic here, 105.9 hours overhead in total.

Most often: LAPD (N232LA), 43 recorded passestypically 550–950 ft

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

Private and charter helicopters over Chinatown

332 of 2,428 recorded passes over Chinatown were private and charter helicopters — 14% of the traffic here, 9.6 hours overhead in total.

Most often: Emerald City Aircraft (N7530M), 8 recorded passesusually 9am–12pmtypically 1,000–1,400 ft

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

News helicopters over Chinatown

105 of 2,428 recorded passes over Chinatown were news helicopters — 4% of the traffic here, 6 hours overhead in total.

Most often: NewsChopper 4 (N358TV), 3 recorded passesusually 10am–1pmtypically 1,000–1,400 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.

Sheriff's helicopters over Chinatown

71 of 2,428 recorded passes over Chinatown were sheriff's helicopters — 3% of the traffic here, 4.6 hours overhead in total.

Most often: LASD (N953LA), 5 recorded passesusually 7am–10amtypically 850–1,000 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

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.

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

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

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

Recent helicopter activity

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Helicopters over Chinatown common questions

Why is a police helicopter circling over Chinatown?

Police helicopters account for 76% of the 2,428 helicopter passes recorded over Chinatown. The one you see most is LAPD (N232LA), 43 recorded passes. They typically fly at 550–950 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 Chinatown?

News helicopters account for 4% of the 2,428 helicopter passes recorded over Chinatown. The one you see most is NewsChopper 4 (N358TV), 3 recorded passes. They are usually 10am–1pm here. They typically fly at 1,000–1,400 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.

Is that a sheriff's helicopter over Chinatown?

Sheriff's helicopters account for 3% of the 2,428 helicopter passes recorded over Chinatown. The one you see most is LASD (N953LA), 5 recorded passes. They are usually 7am–10am here. They typically fly at 850–1,000 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 Chinatown?

From the passes recorded here: police helicopters at 550–950 ft; private and charter helicopters at 1,000–1,400 ft; news helicopters at 1,000–1,400 ft; sheriff's helicopters at 850–1,000 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 Chinatown?

Most passes are brief — a minute or two straight through. The aircraft that stay longest here are police helicopters: 105.9 hours overhead across 1,856 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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