Helicopters over Los Alamitos

Military helicopters over Los Alamitos

753 of 1,879 recorded passes over Los Alamitos were military helicopters — 40% of the traffic here, 181.2 hours overhead in total.

Most often: US ARMY (20-21168), 50 recorded passes

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

Private and charter helicopters over Los Alamitos

608 of 1,879 recorded passes over Los Alamitos were private and charter helicopters — 32% of the traffic here, 20.4 hours overhead in total.

Most often: City Of Long Beach (N28LB), 30 recorded passestypically 700–900 ft

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

Police helicopters over Los Alamitos

246 of 1,879 recorded passes over Los Alamitos were police helicopters — 13% of the traffic here, 28.3 hours overhead in total.

Most often: Huntington Beach PD (N683HB), 4 recorded passes

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

News helicopters over Los Alamitos

124 of 1,879 recorded passes over Los Alamitos were news helicopters — 7% of the traffic here, 5.5 hours overhead in total.

Most often: SkyFOX 11 / SkyCAL (N93DD), 11 recorded passestypically 600–1,200 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.

Why is a police helicopter circling over Los Alamitos?

Police helicopters account for 13% of the 1,879 helicopter passes recorded over Los Alamitos. The one you see most is Huntington Beach PD (N683HB), 4 recorded passes. 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 news helicopter over Los Alamitos?

News helicopters account for 7% of the 1,879 helicopter passes recorded over Los Alamitos. The one you see most is SkyFOX 11 / SkyCAL (N93DD), 11 recorded passes. They typically fly at 600–1,200 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 Los Alamitos?

From the passes recorded here: private and charter helicopters at 700–900 ft; news helicopters at 600–1,200 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 Los Alamitos?

Most passes are brief — a minute or two straight through. The aircraft that stay longest here are military helicopters: 181.2 hours overhead across 753 recorded passes. Military aircraft are almost always transiting between bases or on training flights; they rarely orbit a neighborhood.

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.