Helicopters over Hawthorne

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

Area briefing

Hawthorne, Los Angeles County

Checking the sky overhead…

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

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

Last night over Hawthorne

Nothing overhead now — quiet for the last 6 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

Recent incidents over Hawthorne

The sky over Hawthorne

316helicopter passes tracked over 62 days
35.7
passes per week
2.2
hours overhead per week
2 PM
busiest hour
Private
most common overhead

By hour of day

12a
3a
6a
9a
12p
3p
6p
9p
Busiest hour: 2p · this hour (4a) has averaged 1 pass historically

Who flies over Hawthorne

  • Private49%
  • Sheriff23%
  • News19%
  • Police6%
  • Military1%
  • Other1%

The regulars over Hawthorne

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

Who flies over Hawthorne, by the numbers

Private and charter helicopters over Hawthorne

155 of 316 recorded passes over Hawthorne were private and charter helicopters — 49% of the traffic here, 9.2 hours overhead in total.

usually 1pm–4pmtypically 100–2,650 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 Hawthorne

73 of 316 recorded passes over Hawthorne were sheriff's helicopters — 23% of the traffic here, 3.8 hours overhead in total.

Most often: LASD (N958LA), 11 recorded passesusually 11pm–2amtypically 450–800 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 Hawthorne

60 of 316 recorded passes over Hawthorne were news helicopters — 19% of the traffic here, 4.9 hours overhead in total.

Most often: AIR7 (N71HD), 18 recorded passesusually 4pm–7pmtypically 200–1,100 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 Hawthorne

20 of 316 recorded passes over Hawthorne were police helicopters — 6% of the traffic here, 1.3 hours overhead in total.

Most often: LAPD (N224LA), 4 recorded passesusually 12pm–3pmtypically 350–550 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 Hawthorne common questions

Is that a sheriff's helicopter over Hawthorne?

Sheriff's helicopters account for 23% of the 316 helicopter passes recorded over Hawthorne. The one you see most is LASD (N958LA), 11 recorded passes. They are usually 11pm–2am here. They typically fly at 450–800 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 Hawthorne?

News helicopters account for 19% of the 316 helicopter passes recorded over Hawthorne. The one you see most is AIR7 (N71HD), 18 recorded passes. They are usually 4pm–7pm here. They typically fly at 200–1,100 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 Hawthorne?

Police helicopters account for 6% of the 316 helicopter passes recorded over Hawthorne. The one you see most is LAPD (N224LA), 4 recorded passes. They are usually 12pm–3pm here. They typically fly at 350–550 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 Hawthorne?

From the passes recorded here: private and charter helicopters at 100–2,650 ft; sheriff's helicopters at 450–800 ft; news helicopters at 200–1,100 ft; police helicopters at 350–550 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 Hawthorne?

Most passes are brief — a minute or two straight through. The aircraft that stay longest here are private and charter helicopters: 9.2 hours overhead across 155 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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