Helicopters over Lake Arrowhead

Live helicopter tracking for Lake Arrowhead, San Bernardino County — updated every few seconds.

Area briefing

Lake Arrowhead, San Bernardino County

Checking the sky overhead…

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

Map of Lake Arrowhead, San Bernardino County
Scanning
Live map — checking for helicopters over Lake Arrowhead… The dashed ring is the 8 km radius this page counts as “over Lake Arrowhead”; inner rings mark one-third and two-thirds of that distance.

Today over Lake Arrowhead

Nothing overhead now — quiet for the last 4 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

The sky over Lake Arrowhead

415helicopter passes tracked over 65 days
44.7
passes per week
2.9
hours overhead per week
3 PM
busiest hour
Private
most common overhead

By hour of day

12a
3a
6a
9a
12p
3p
6p
9p
Busiest hour: 3p · this hour (1p) has averaged 18 passes historically

Who flies over Lake Arrowhead

  • Private55%
  • Sheriff38%
  • Military4%
  • Fire / medical2%
  • CHP0%

The regulars over Lake Arrowhead

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

Who flies over Lake Arrowhead, by the numbers

Private and charter helicopters over Lake Arrowhead

229 of 415 recorded passes over Lake Arrowhead were private and charter helicopters — 55% of the traffic here, 14 hours overhead in total.

Most often: Air Methods (N694AM), 38 recorded passestypically 4,800–5,800 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 Lake Arrowhead

156 of 415 recorded passes over Lake Arrowhead were sheriff's helicopters — 38% of the traffic here, 10 hours overhead in total.

Most often: San Bernardino County Sheriffs Dept (N833SB), 17 recorded passesusually 2pm–5pmtypically 3,650–4,750 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 Lake Arrowhead

18 of 415 recorded passes over Lake Arrowhead were military helicopters — 4% of the traffic here, 0.9 hours overhead in total.

usually 6pm–9pmtypically 5,200–7,550 ft

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

Fire and air-medical helicopters over Lake Arrowhead

10 of 415 recorded passes over Lake Arrowhead were fire and air-medical helicopters — 2% of the traffic here, 1.7 hours overhead in total.

Most often: CAL FIRE (N476DF), 4 recorded passes

Fire and air-medical aircraft respond to fires, rescues and hospital transports — often brief, often low, and often straight in and out.

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.

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

Fire / medical: Fire and air-medical helicopters mean a fire response, a rescue, or a hospital transport — often brief, and often at low altitude.

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Helicopters over Lake Arrowhead common questions

Is that a sheriff's helicopter over Lake Arrowhead?

Sheriff's helicopters account for 38% of the 415 helicopter passes recorded over Lake Arrowhead. The one you see most is San Bernardino County Sheriffs Dept (N833SB), 17 recorded passes. They are usually 2pm–5pm here. They typically fly at 3,650–4,750 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 Lake Arrowhead?

Fire and air-medical helicopters account for 2% of the 415 helicopter passes recorded over Lake Arrowhead. The one you see most is CAL FIRE (N476DF), 4 recorded passes. Fire and air-medical aircraft respond to fires, rescues and hospital transports — often brief, often low, and often straight in and out.

How high do helicopters fly over Lake Arrowhead?

From the passes recorded here: private and charter helicopters at 4,800–5,800 ft; sheriff's helicopters at 3,650–4,750 ft; military helicopters at 5,200–7,550 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 Lake Arrowhead?

Most passes are brief — a minute or two straight through. The aircraft that stay longest here are private and charter helicopters: 14 hours overhead across 229 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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