Helicopters over Fairfax

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

Area briefing

Fairfax, Los Angeles County

Checking the sky overhead…

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

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

Today over Fairfax

Nothing overhead now. The last helicopter left 65 minutes ago, heading north.

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 Fairfax

The sky over Fairfax

329helicopter passes tracked over 64 days
36.0
passes per week
1.7
hours overhead per week
4 PM
busiest hour
Police
most common overhead

By hour of day

12a
3a
6a
9a
12p
3p
6p
9p
Busiest hour: 4p · this hour (1p) has averaged 18 passes historically

Who flies over Fairfax

  • Police84%
  • News9%
  • Private4%
  • Sheriff2%
  • Fire / medical1%
  • Other0%

The regulars over Fairfax

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

Who flies over Fairfax, by the numbers

Police helicopters over Fairfax

278 of 329 recorded passes over Fairfax were police helicopters — 84% of the traffic here, 10.1 hours overhead in total.

Most often: LAPD (N213PF), 40 recorded passestypically 650–900 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 Fairfax

28 of 329 recorded passes over Fairfax were news helicopters — 9% of the traffic here, 4.4 hours overhead in total.

Most often: AIR7 (N71HD), 6 recorded passesusually 12pm–3pmtypically 1,000–1,300 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.

Private and charter helicopters over Fairfax

13 of 329 recorded passes over Fairfax were private and charter helicopters — 4% of the traffic here, 0.7 hours overhead in total.

Most often: LADWP (N704WP), 3 recorded passestypically 750–1,000 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

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.

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.

Recent helicopter activity

Nearby coverage

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Helicopters over Fairfax common questions

Why is a police helicopter circling over Fairfax?

Police helicopters account for 84% of the 329 helicopter passes recorded over Fairfax. The one you see most is LAPD (N213PF), 40 recorded passes. They typically fly at 650–900 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 Fairfax?

News helicopters account for 9% of the 329 helicopter passes recorded over Fairfax. The one you see most is AIR7 (N71HD), 6 recorded passes. They are usually 12pm–3pm here. They typically fly at 1,000–1,300 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 Fairfax?

From the passes recorded here: police helicopters at 650–900 ft; news helicopters at 1,000–1,300 ft; private and charter helicopters at 750–1,000 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 Fairfax?

Most passes are brief — a minute or two straight through. The aircraft that stay longest here are police helicopters: 10.1 hours overhead across 278 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 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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