Helicopters over El Monte

Private and charter helicopters over El Monte

691 of 1,435 recorded passes over El Monte were private and charter helicopters — 48% of the traffic here, 102 hours overhead in total.

typically 300–1,250 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

356 of 1,435 recorded passes over El Monte were sheriff's helicopters — 25% of the traffic here, 17.3 hours overhead in total.

Most often: LASD (N955LA), 16 recorded passestypically 750–1,100 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

140 of 1,435 recorded passes over El Monte were news helicopters — 10% of the traffic here, 9.5 hours overhead in total.

Most often: SkyFOX 11 / SkyCAL (N93DD), 6 recorded passesusually 5am–8amtypically 1,400–1,800 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

108 of 1,435 recorded passes over El Monte were police helicopters — 8% of the traffic here, 7 hours overhead in total.

Most often: Pasadena PD (N239PS), 5 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.

Is that a sheriff's helicopter over El Monte?

Sheriff's helicopters account for 25% of the 1,435 helicopter passes recorded over El Monte. The one you see most is LASD (N955LA), 16 recorded passes. They typically fly at 750–1,100 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 10% of the 1,435 helicopter passes recorded over El Monte. The one you see most is SkyFOX 11 / SkyCAL (N93DD), 6 recorded passes. They are usually 5am–8am here. They typically fly at 1,400–1,800 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 1,435 helicopter passes recorded over El Monte. The one you see most is Pasadena PD (N239PS), 5 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 high do helicopters fly over El Monte?

From the passes recorded here: private and charter helicopters at 300–1,250 ft; sheriff's helicopters at 750–1,100 ft; news helicopters at 1,400–1,800 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: 102 hours overhead across 691 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.