Helicopters over Lake Balboa

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

Area briefing

Lake Balboa, Los Angeles County

Checking the sky overhead…

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

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

Today over Lake Balboa

Nothing overhead now. The last helicopter left 27 minutes ago, heading south.

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 Lake Balboa

The sky over Lake Balboa

3,690helicopter passes tracked over 66 days
391.4
passes per week
31
hours overhead per week
11 AM
busiest hour
News
most common overhead

By hour of day

12a
3a
6a
9a
12p
3p
6p
9p
Busiest hour: 11a · this hour (2p) has averaged 230 passes historically

Who flies over Lake Balboa

  • News34%
  • Fire / medical26%
  • Police22%
  • Private18%
  • Military0%
  • Other0%

The regulars over Lake Balboa

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

Who flies over Lake Balboa, by the numbers

News helicopters over Lake Balboa

1,255 of 3,690 recorded passes over Lake Balboa were news helicopters — 34% of the traffic here, 94.5 hours overhead in total.

Most often: AIR7 (backup) (N29HD), 28 recorded passestypically 700–800 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.

Fire and air-medical helicopters over Lake Balboa

945 of 3,690 recorded passes over Lake Balboa were fire and air-medical helicopters — 26% of the traffic here, 95.5 hours overhead in total.

Most often: LA Co FD (Helitanker) (N43CU), 16 recorded passestypically 750–850 ft

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

Police helicopters over Lake Balboa

815 of 3,690 recorded passes over Lake Balboa were police helicopters — 22% of the traffic here, 64 hours overhead in total.

Most often: Los Angeles Police Dept Air Support Division (N668PD), 12 recorded passestypically 850–1,250 ft

Police aircraft typically fly tight, repeated orbits over one spot to support officers on the ground, and can hold for a long time.

Private and charter helicopters over Lake Balboa

661 of 3,690 recorded passes over Lake Balboa were private and charter helicopters — 18% of the traffic here, 41.8 hours overhead in total.

Most often: Helinet (N435AK), 11 recorded passestypically 800–1,500 ft

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

What it usually means

News helicopter: News helicopters usually mean live coverage of a developing story — a pursuit, a fire, or a scene the station is broadcasting.

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

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.

Private / civil: Private and civil helicopters are usually in transit, on a charter, or on a survey flight.

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Helicopters over Lake Balboa common questions

Is that a news helicopter over Lake Balboa?

News helicopters account for 34% of the 3,690 helicopter passes recorded over Lake Balboa. The one you see most is AIR7 (backup) (N29HD), 28 recorded passes. They typically fly at 700–800 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 fire helicopter over Lake Balboa?

Fire and air-medical helicopters account for 26% of the 3,690 helicopter passes recorded over Lake Balboa. The one you see most is LA Co FD (Helitanker) (N43CU), 16 recorded passes. They typically fly at 750–850 ft above sea level. Fire and air-medical aircraft respond to fires, rescues and hospital transports — often brief, often low, and often straight in and out.

Why is a police helicopter circling over Lake Balboa?

Police helicopters account for 22% of the 3,690 helicopter passes recorded over Lake Balboa. The one you see most is Los Angeles Police Dept Air Support Division (N668PD), 12 recorded passes. They typically fly at 850–1,250 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 Lake Balboa?

From the passes recorded here: news helicopters at 700–800 ft; fire and air-medical helicopters at 750–850 ft; police helicopters at 850–1,250 ft; private and charter helicopters at 800–1,500 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 Balboa?

Most passes are brief — a minute or two straight through. The aircraft that stay longest here are fire and air-medical helicopters: 95.5 hours overhead across 945 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 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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