Helicopters over Grand Terrace

Live helicopter tracking for Grand Terrace, San Bernardino County — updated every few seconds.

Area briefing

Grand Terrace, San Bernardino County

Checking the sky overhead…

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

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

Today over Grand Terrace

Nothing overhead now. The last helicopter left 10 minutes ago, heading west.

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 Grand Terrace

452helicopter passes tracked over 66 days
47.9
passes per week
2.0
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 (2p) has averaged 23 passes historically

Who flies over Grand Terrace

  • Private58%
  • Police25%
  • Sheriff11%
  • Military4%
  • Fire / medical2%

The regulars over Grand Terrace

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

Who flies over Grand Terrace, by the numbers

Private and charter helicopters over Grand Terrace

264 of 452 recorded passes over Grand Terrace were private and charter helicopters — 58% of the traffic here, 9.1 hours overhead in total.

Most often: Air Methods (N434AM), 16 recorded passestypically 1,600–2,000 ft

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

Police helicopters over Grand Terrace

113 of 452 recorded passes over Grand Terrace were police helicopters — 25% of the traffic here, 5.4 hours overhead in total.

Most often: Riverside PD (N911RP), 55 recorded passesusually 11pm–2amtypically 1,600–1,950 ft

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

Sheriff's helicopters over Grand Terrace

50 of 452 recorded passes over Grand Terrace were sheriff's helicopters — 11% of the traffic here, 3.9 hours overhead in total.

Most often: Riverside Sheriff (N997SD), 9 recorded passesusually 8pm–11pmtypically 1,350–1,600 ft

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

Military helicopters over Grand Terrace

16 of 452 recorded passes over Grand Terrace were military helicopters — 4% of the traffic here, 0.4 hours overhead in total.

Military aircraft are almost always transiting between bases or on training flights; they rarely orbit a neighborhood.

What it usually means

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

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.

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

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

Recent helicopter activity

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Helicopters over Grand Terrace common questions

Why is a police helicopter circling over Grand Terrace?

Police helicopters account for 25% of the 452 helicopter passes recorded over Grand Terrace. The one you see most is Riverside PD (N911RP), 55 recorded passes. They are usually 11pm–2am here. They typically fly at 1,600–1,950 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 sheriff's helicopter over Grand Terrace?

Sheriff's helicopters account for 11% of the 452 helicopter passes recorded over Grand Terrace. The one you see most is Riverside Sheriff (N997SD), 9 recorded passes. They are usually 8pm–11pm here. They typically fly at 1,350–1,600 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.

How high do helicopters fly over Grand Terrace?

From the passes recorded here: private and charter helicopters at 1,600–2,000 ft; police helicopters at 1,600–1,950 ft; sheriff's helicopters at 1,350–1,600 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 Grand Terrace?

Most passes are brief — a minute or two straight through. The aircraft that stay longest here are private and charter helicopters: 9.1 hours overhead across 264 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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