Helicopters over Compton

Private and charter helicopters over Compton

1,776 of 4,051 recorded passes over Compton were private and charter helicopters — 44% of the traffic here, 224.5 hours overhead in total.

Most often: Emerald City Aircraft (N7530M), 22 recorded passestypically 200–900 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

1,374 of 4,051 recorded passes over Compton were sheriff's helicopters — 34% of the traffic here, 97.4 hours overhead in total.

Most often: LASD (N956LA), 32 recorded passestypically 500–750 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

525 of 4,051 recorded passes over Compton were police helicopters — 13% of the traffic here, 19.2 hours overhead in total.

Most often: SkyKnight (N930DK), 11 recorded passesusually 7pm–10pmtypically 500–750 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

262 of 4,051 recorded passes over Compton were news helicopters — 6% of the traffic here, 9.4 hours overhead in total.

Most often: AIR7 (backup) (N29HD), 4 recorded passes

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 Compton?

Sheriff's helicopters account for 34% of the 4,051 helicopter passes recorded over Compton. The one you see most is LASD (N956LA), 32 recorded passes. They typically fly at 500–750 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 4,051 helicopter passes recorded over Compton. The one you see most is SkyKnight (N930DK), 11 recorded passes. They are usually 7pm–10pm here. They typically fly at 500–750 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 6% of the 4,051 helicopter passes recorded over Compton. The one you see most is AIR7 (backup) (N29HD), 4 recorded passes. 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 200–900 ft; sheriff's helicopters at 500–750 ft; police helicopters at 500–750 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: 224.5 hours overhead across 1,776 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 Live 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.