Helicopters over Hemet
Live helicopter tracking for Hemet, Riverside County — updated every few seconds.
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Live airspace over Hemet
Expand live map →Hemet, Riverside County
Checking the sky overhead…
GTLA Live · Live area briefing · positions from ADS-B, rechecked every 20 seconds
Keep up with Hemet
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Today over Hemet
Nothing overhead now. The last helicopter left 40 minutes ago, heading west.
- 11:42am — Riverside Sheriff (N995RC) passed through in 1 minute, mid-level.went on to Menifee (11:43am)
- 10:28am — CAL FIRE (N478DF) passed through in 3 minutes, mid-level.came from Menifee (10:28am)
- 10:19am — Riverside Sheriff (N996RS) passed through in 3 minutes, mid-level.came from Menifee (10:19am)
- 9:05am — CAL FIRE (N478DF) passed through in 1 minute, mid-level.went on to Menifee (9:06am)
- 8:28am — Riverside Sheriff (N996RS) passed through in 1 minute, high.went on to Menifee (8:30am)
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.
Familiar aircraft and neighborhood patterns
The sky over Hemet
By hour of day
Who flies over Hemet
- Sheriff58%
- Private22%
- Fire / rescue14%
- Military3%
- Police1%
- Other1%
The regulars over Hemet
The aircraft recorded here most often — the ones you’ll see again.
Riverside SheriffN997SD319 recorded visits· last here Tue 7:01 AM- Riverside SheriffN996RS164 recorded visits· last here Sun 10:22 AM
- CAL FIREN478DF157 recorded visits· last here Sun 10:31 AM
Riverside SheriffN994SD75 recorded visits· last here Wed 12:38 AM- Riverside SheriffN995RC63 recorded visits· last here Sun 11:43 AM
Seen over Hemet lately
Every aircraft our tracking has recorded here recently, most recent first. The named ones have a page of their own.
- Riverside SheriffN995RC
- CAL FIREN478DF
- Riverside SheriffN996RS
- Riverside SheriffN993SD
- REACHN326RX
- REACHN36RX
- PJ HelicoptersN259PJ
- PJ HelicoptersN809PJ
- Mil / CG167840
- Private / civilN438AS
- Riverside SheriffN998SD
- Sun Meridian BernardinoN121NC
Who flies over Hemet, by the numbers
Sheriff's helicopters over Hemet
686 of 1,175 recorded passes over Hemet were sheriff's helicopters — 58% of the traffic here, 39.6 hours overhead in total.
Most often: Riverside Sheriff (N996RS), 69 recorded passestypically 1,800–2,100 ft
Sheriff's aircraft fly patrol, search and rescue across the county, and orbit a scene the same way police aircraft do.
Private and charter helicopters over Hemet
254 of 1,175 recorded passes over Hemet were private and charter helicopters — 22% of the traffic here, 13.6 hours overhead in total.
usually 10am–1pmtypically 1,950–2,650 ft
Private and charter aircraft are usually in transit, on a tour or a survey flight, and pass through without stopping.
Fire helicopters over Hemet
163 of 1,175 recorded passes over Hemet were fire helicopters — 14% of the traffic here, 6.7 hours overhead in total.
Most often: CAL FIRE (N478DF), 49 recorded passesusually 9am–12pmtypically 1,800–2,100 ft
Fire department aircraft respond to fires and rescues — often brief, often low, and often straight in and out.
Military helicopters over Hemet
40 of 1,175 recorded passes over Hemet were military helicopters — 3% of the traffic here, 1.8 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
Sheriff (LASD): Sheriff's helicopters typically orbit for a search, a pursuit, or to support deputies on the ground.
Private / civil: Private and civil helicopters are usually in transit, on a charter, or on a survey flight.
Fire / rescue: Fire helicopters mean a fire response or a rescue — often brief, and often at low altitude.
Military: Military aircraft are usually transiting between bases or on a training route rather than responding to anything local.
Recent helicopter activity
- Oct 18, 11:42 AMRiverside SheriffN995RC · EC451,900–2,150 ft1 minW
- Oct 18, 10:28 AMCAL FIREN478DF · H601,725–1,900 ft3 minNE
- Oct 18, 10:19 AMRiverside SheriffN996RS · AS501,750–1,900 ft3 minNE
- Oct 18, 9:05 AMCAL FIREN478DF · H601,700–1,825 ft1 minNW
- Oct 18, 8:28 AMRiverside SheriffN996RS · AS502,225–2,350 ft1 minW
- Oct 18, 12:33 AMRiverside SheriffN993SD · AS502,125–2,250 ft3 minSW
- Oct 17, 9:23 PMRiverside SheriffN993SD · AS501,750–2,025 ft2 minNE
- Oct 17, 9:13 PMRiverside SheriffN993SD · AS502,050–2,300 ft3 minS
Nearby coverage
Questions about helicopters over Hemet
Helicopters over Hemet common questions
Is that a sheriff's helicopter over Hemet?
Sheriff's helicopters account for 58% of the 1,175 helicopter passes recorded over Hemet. The one you see most is Riverside Sheriff (N996RS), 69 recorded passes. They typically fly at 1,800–2,100 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.
Why is a fire helicopter over Hemet?
Fire helicopters account for 14% of the 1,175 helicopter passes recorded over Hemet. The one you see most is CAL FIRE (N478DF), 49 recorded passes. They are usually 9am–12pm here. They typically fly at 1,800–2,100 ft above sea level. Fire department aircraft respond to fires and rescues — often brief, often low, and often straight in and out.
How high do helicopters fly over Hemet?
From the passes recorded here: sheriff's helicopters at 1,800–2,100 ft; private and charter helicopters at 1,950–2,650 ft; fire helicopters at 1,800–2,100 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 Hemet?
Most passes are brief — a minute or two straight through. The aircraft that stay longest here are sheriff's helicopters: 39.6 hours overhead across 686 recorded passes. Sheriff's aircraft fly patrol, search and rescue across the county, and orbit a scene the same way police aircraft do.
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.
More from GTLA
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