Helicopters over Lawndale

Private and charter helicopters over Lawndale

227 of 391 recorded passes over Lawndale were private and charter helicopters — 58% of the traffic here, 8.6 hours overhead in total.

Most often: Emerald City Aircraft (N7530M), 44 recorded passestypically 600–1,600 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 Lawndale

63 of 391 recorded passes over Lawndale were sheriff's helicopters — 16% of the traffic here, 3.8 hours overhead in total.

Most often: LASD (N961LA), 9 recorded passesusually 11pm–2amtypically 500–800 ft

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

News helicopters over Lawndale

34 of 391 recorded passes over Lawndale were news helicopters — 9% of the traffic here, 2.3 hours overhead in total.

Most often: NewsChopper 4 (N358TV), 5 recorded passesusually 3pm–6pmtypically 850–1,100 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.

Military helicopters over Lawndale

22 of 391 recorded passes over Lawndale were military helicopters — 6% of the traffic here, 0.4 hours overhead in total.

Most often: US ARMY (20-21168), 5 recorded passestypically 1,600–4,050 ft

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

Is that a sheriff's helicopter over Lawndale?

Sheriff's helicopters account for 16% of the 391 helicopter passes recorded over Lawndale. The one you see most is LASD (N961LA), 9 recorded passes. They are usually 11pm–2am here. They typically fly at 500–800 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 Lawndale?

News helicopters account for 9% of the 391 helicopter passes recorded over Lawndale. The one you see most is NewsChopper 4 (N358TV), 5 recorded passes. They are usually 3pm–6pm here. They typically fly at 850–1,100 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 Lawndale?

From the passes recorded here: private and charter helicopters at 600–1,600 ft; sheriff's helicopters at 500–800 ft; news helicopters at 850–1,100 ft; military helicopters at 1,600–4,050 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 Lawndale?

Most passes are brief — a minute or two straight through. The aircraft that stay longest here are private and charter helicopters: 8.6 hours overhead across 227 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 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.