Helicopters over Compton

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

Area briefing

Compton, Los Angeles County

Checking the sky overhead…

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

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

Tonight over Compton

Nothing overhead now. The last helicopter left 56 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 Compton

The sky over Compton

2,264helicopter passes tracked over 66 days
240.1
passes per week
21
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 (8p) has averaged 172 passes historically

Who flies over Compton

  • Private42%
  • Sheriff34%
  • Police13%
  • News7%
  • Fire / medical2%
  • Other1%

The regulars over Compton

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

Who flies over Compton, by the numbers

Private and charter helicopters over Compton

954 of 2,264 recorded passes over Compton were private and charter helicopters — 42% of the traffic here, 116 hours overhead in total.

usually 3pm–6pmtypically 200–850 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 Compton

780 of 2,264 recorded passes over Compton were sheriff's helicopters — 34% of the traffic here, 63.8 hours overhead in total.

Most often: LASD (N959LA), 25 recorded passestypically 550–750 ft

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

Police helicopters over Compton

296 of 2,264 recorded passes over Compton were police helicopters — 13% of the traffic here, 12.2 hours overhead in total.

Most often: SkyKnight (N930DK), 13 recorded passestypically 500–600 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 Compton

166 of 2,264 recorded passes over Compton were news helicopters — 7% of the traffic here, 6.7 hours overhead in total.

Most often: ABC NewsCopter (N828AP), 10 recorded passestypically 700–950 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.

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

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 Compton common questions

Is that a sheriff's helicopter over Compton?

Sheriff's helicopters account for 34% of the 2,264 helicopter passes recorded over Compton. The one you see most is LASD (N959LA), 25 recorded passes. They typically fly at 550–750 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 Compton?

Police helicopters account for 13% of the 2,264 helicopter passes recorded over Compton. The one you see most is SkyKnight (N930DK), 13 recorded passes. They typically fly at 500–600 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 Compton?

News helicopters account for 7% of the 2,264 helicopter passes recorded over Compton. The one you see most is ABC NewsCopter (N828AP), 10 recorded passes. They typically fly at 700–950 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 Compton?

From the passes recorded here: private and charter helicopters at 200–850 ft; sheriff's helicopters at 550–750 ft; police helicopters at 500–600 ft; news helicopters at 700–950 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 Compton?

Most passes are brief — a minute or two straight through. The aircraft that stay longest here are private and charter helicopters: 116 hours overhead across 954 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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