Helicopters over La Habra Heights

Sheriff's helicopters over La Habra Heights

68 of 136 recorded passes over La Habra Heights were sheriff's helicopters — 50% of the traffic here, 3 hours overhead in total.

Most often: LASD (N959LA), 10 recorded passestypically 1,050–1,350 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 La Habra Heights

35 of 136 recorded passes over La Habra Heights were private and charter helicopters — 26% of the traffic here, 1 hour overhead in total.

usually 9am–12pmtypically 1,300–1,800 ft

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

CHP helicopters over La Habra Heights

10 of 136 recorded passes over La Habra Heights were CHP helicopters — 7% of the traffic here, 0.2 hours overhead in total.

Most often: CHP (N984HP), 7 recorded passestypically 1,400–1,550 ft

CHP aircraft work the freeways — pursuits, major collisions and traffic enforcement — and usually pass through rather than hold.

News helicopters over La Habra Heights

10 of 136 recorded passes over La Habra Heights were news helicopters — 7% of the traffic here, 0.2 hours overhead in total.

Most often: NewsChopper 4 (N358TV), 3 recorded passestypically 1,400–1,750 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.

Is that a sheriff's helicopter over La Habra Heights?

Sheriff's helicopters account for 50% of the 136 helicopter passes recorded over La Habra Heights. The one you see most is LASD (N959LA), 10 recorded passes. They typically fly at 1,050–1,350 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 La Habra Heights?

News helicopters account for 7% of the 136 helicopter passes recorded over La Habra Heights. The one you see most is NewsChopper 4 (N358TV), 3 recorded passes. They typically fly at 1,400–1,750 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 La Habra Heights?

From the passes recorded here: sheriff's helicopters at 1,050–1,350 ft; private and charter helicopters at 1,300–1,800 ft; CHP helicopters at 1,400–1,550 ft; news helicopters at 1,400–1,750 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 La Habra Heights?

Most passes are brief — a minute or two straight through. The aircraft that stay longest here are sheriff's helicopters: 3 hours overhead across 68 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 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.