Helicopters over La Mirada

Private and charter helicopters over La Mirada

103 of 268 recorded passes over La Mirada were private and charter helicopters — 38% of the traffic here, 2.3 hours overhead in total.

Most often: Mercy Air (N908KB), 22 recorded passestypically 900–1,250 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 La Mirada

68 of 268 recorded passes over La Mirada were sheriff's helicopters — 25% of the traffic here, 3.2 hours overhead in total.

Most often: LASD (N958LA), 8 recorded passestypically 600–850 ft

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

CHP helicopters over La Mirada

33 of 268 recorded passes over La Mirada were CHP helicopters — 12% of the traffic here, 0.7 hours overhead in total.

Most often: CHP (N979HP), 21 recorded passestypically 900–1,050 ft

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

Police helicopters over La Mirada

33 of 268 recorded passes over La Mirada were police helicopters — 12% of the traffic here, 1.1 hours overhead in total.

Most often: Anaheim Police Dept (N226PD), 13 recorded passestypically 800–1,300 ft

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 La Mirada?

Sheriff's helicopters account for 25% of the 268 helicopter passes recorded over La Mirada. The one you see most is LASD (N958LA), 8 recorded passes. They typically fly at 600–850 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 police helicopter circling over La Mirada?

Police helicopters account for 12% of the 268 helicopter passes recorded over La Mirada. The one you see most is Anaheim Police Dept (N226PD), 13 recorded passes. They typically fly at 800–1,300 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 La Mirada?

From the passes recorded here: private and charter helicopters at 900–1,250 ft; sheriff's helicopters at 600–850 ft; CHP helicopters at 900–1,050 ft; police helicopters at 800–1,300 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 Mirada?

Most passes are brief — a minute or two straight through. The aircraft that stay longest here are sheriff's helicopters: 3.2 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.

What time do helicopters usually fly over La Mirada?

Based on 268 tracked passes over La Mirada, the most common hour for helicopter activity is around 12pm local time. Activity rises during evening news hours and drops sharply overnight.

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.