Helicopters over El Monte

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

Area briefing

El Monte, Los Angeles County

Checking the sky overhead…

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

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

Today over El Monte

Nothing overhead now. The last helicopter left 48 minutes ago, heading northeast.

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 El Monte

The sky over El Monte

754helicopter passes tracked over 66 days
80.0
passes per week
7.7
hours overhead per week
10 AM
busiest hour
Private
most common overhead

By hour of day

12a
3a
6a
9a
12p
3p
6p
9p
Busiest hour: 10a · this hour (1p) has averaged 42 passes historically

Who flies over El Monte

  • Private44%
  • Sheriff26%
  • News12%
  • Police8%
  • Military5%
  • Other5%

The regulars over El Monte

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

Who flies over El Monte, by the numbers

Private and charter helicopters over El Monte

330 of 754 recorded passes over El Monte were private and charter helicopters — 44% of the traffic here, 48.7 hours overhead in total.

typically 300–1,700 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 El Monte

198 of 754 recorded passes over El Monte were sheriff's helicopters — 26% of the traffic here, 10.6 hours overhead in total.

Most often: LASD (N956LA), 15 recorded passestypically 850–1,150 ft

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

News helicopters over El Monte

92 of 754 recorded passes over El Monte were news helicopters — 12% of the traffic here, 5.8 hours overhead in total.

Most often: AIR7 (N71HD), 7 recorded passesusually 5am–8amtypically 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.

Police helicopters over El Monte

60 of 754 recorded passes over El Monte were police helicopters — 8% of the traffic here, 4.7 hours overhead in total.

Most often: Pasadena PD (N8NF), 6 recorded passesusually 8pm–11pmtypically 1,100–1,600 ft

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

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.

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

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.

Recent helicopter activity

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Helicopters over El Monte common questions

Is that a sheriff's helicopter over El Monte?

Sheriff's helicopters account for 26% of the 754 helicopter passes recorded over El Monte. The one you see most is LASD (N956LA), 15 recorded passes. They typically fly at 850–1,150 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.

Is that a news helicopter over El Monte?

News helicopters account for 12% of the 754 helicopter passes recorded over El Monte. The one you see most is AIR7 (N71HD), 7 recorded passes. They are usually 5am–8am 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.

Why is a police helicopter circling over El Monte?

Police helicopters account for 8% of the 754 helicopter passes recorded over El Monte. The one you see most is Pasadena PD (N8NF), 6 recorded passes. They are usually 8pm–11pm here. They typically fly at 1,100–1,600 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.

How high do helicopters fly over El Monte?

From the passes recorded here: private and charter helicopters at 300–1,700 ft; sheriff's helicopters at 850–1,150 ft; news helicopters at 1,000–1,400 ft; police helicopters at 1,100–1,600 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 El Monte?

Most passes are brief — a minute or two straight through. The aircraft that stay longest here are private and charter helicopters: 48.7 hours overhead across 330 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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