Helicopters over Coto de Caza

Live helicopter tracking for Coto de Caza, Orange County — updated every few seconds.

Area briefing

Coto de Caza, Orange County

Checking the sky overhead…

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

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

Tonight over Coto de Caza

Nothing overhead now — quiet for the last 3 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 Coto de Caza

101helicopter passes tracked over 4 days
Fire / medical
most common overhead

Who flies over Coto de Caza

  • Fire / medical77%
  • Private19%
  • Military2%
  • Sheriff2%

The regulars over Coto de Caza

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

Who flies over Coto de Caza, by the numbers

Fire and air-medical helicopters over Coto de Caza

78 of 101 recorded passes over Coto de Caza were fire and air-medical helicopters — 77% of the traffic here, 3.1 hours overhead in total.

Most often: CAL FIRE (N478DF), 21 recorded passesusually 4pm–7pmtypically 550–650 ft

Fire and air-medical aircraft respond to fires, rescues and hospital transports — often brief, often low, and often straight in and out.

Private and charter helicopters over Coto de Caza

19 of 101 recorded passes over Coto de Caza were private and charter helicopters — 19% of the traffic here, 0.6 hours overhead in total.

Most often: PJ Helicopters (N809PJ), 19 recorded passesusually 4pm–7pmtypically 600–700 ft

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

What it usually means

Fire / medical: Fire and air-medical helicopters mean a fire response, a rescue, or a hospital transport — often brief, and often at low altitude.

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

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

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

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Helicopters over Coto de Caza common questions

Why is a fire helicopter over Coto de Caza?

Fire and air-medical helicopters account for 77% of the 101 helicopter passes recorded over Coto de Caza. The one you see most is CAL FIRE (N478DF), 21 recorded passes. They are usually 4pm–7pm here. They typically fly at 550–650 ft above sea level. Fire and air-medical aircraft respond to fires, rescues and hospital transports — often brief, often low, and often straight in and out.

How high do helicopters fly over Coto de Caza?

From the passes recorded here: fire and air-medical helicopters at 550–650 ft; private and charter helicopters at 600–700 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 Coto de Caza?

Most passes are brief — a minute or two straight through. The aircraft that stay longest here are fire and air-medical helicopters: 3.1 hours overhead across 78 recorded passes. Fire and air-medical aircraft respond to fires, rescues and hospital transports — often brief, often low, and often straight in and out.

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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