Helicopters over Manhattan Beach
Live helicopter tracking for Manhattan Beach, Los Angeles — updated every few seconds.
Checking the sky over Manhattan Beach…
The sky over Manhattan Beach
By hour of day
Who flies over Manhattan Beach
- Private76%
- News12%
- Fire / medical4%
- Police4%
- Military4%
What it usually means
Private / civil: Private and civil helicopters are usually in transit, on a charter, or on a survey flight.
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.
Recent helicopter activity
- Jul 25, 8:42 AMPrivateN821JP200–300 ft1 minSE
- Jul 24, 2:24 PMPrivateN338JD700–825 ft1 minNE
- Jul 24, 11:09 AMUS ARMY18-209801,800–3,350 ft1 minS
- Jul 24, 9:36 AMPrivateN821JP350–2,925 ft4 minSE
- Jul 23, 7:08 PMPoliceN226LA400–575 ft3 minE
- Jul 18, 1:31 PMPrivateN338JD225–725 ft2 minNE
- Jul 17, 9:14 AMFire/EMSN412FA150–700 ft3 minE
- Jul 16, 11:58 AMPrivateN205RH550–725 ft1 minE
- Jul 15, 1:08 PMPrivateN41842975–1,000 ft1 minSW
- Jul 11, 7:24 PMNewsChopper 4N358TV600–1,000 ft21 minE
- Jul 10, 3:54 PMPrivateN821JP1,475–2,725 ft1 minS
- Jul 10, 3:15 PMPrivateN383SH250–650 ft1 minSE
- Jul 10, 10:40 AMPrivateN383SH900–2,125 ft10 minE
- Jul 9, 3:12 PMPrivateN383SH1,650–1,700 ft5 minNW
- Jul 8, 12:15 PMPrivateN831HA275–700 ft1 minNE
- Jul 7, 2:46 PMPrivateN821JP1,225–2,825 ft2 minS
- Jul 6, 4:36 PMPrivateN329JK550–575 ft1 minSW
- Jul 6, 4:21 PMPrivateN821JP650–1,050 ft2 minE
- Jul 5, 2:56 PMPrivateN821JP2,550–2,775 ft1 minN
- Jul 4, 3:56 PMPrivateN821JP650–2,450 ft2 minS
- Jul 4, 2:58 PMAIR7N71HD350–600 ft3 minSE
- Jul 4, 2:54 PMPrivateN821JP2,575–2,800 ft1 minN
- Jul 4, 2:49 PMAIR7N71HD700–825 ft2 minS
- Jul 4, 9:37 AMPrivateN821JP700–2,575 ft2 minS
- Jul 2, 2:12 PMPrivateN821JP850–2,700 ft2 minS
Nearby coverage
Helicopters over Manhattan Beach: common questions
Why is there a helicopter over Manhattan Beach?
Most helicopter activity over Manhattan Beach is one of four things: police aircraft supporting officers on the ground, news helicopters covering a developing story, fire or air-medical aircraft responding to an emergency, or private and military aircraft simply transiting the area. This page shows which one is overhead right now, identified by operator.
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 Manhattan Beach?
Based on 25 tracked passes over Manhattan Beach, the most common hour for helicopter activity is around 2pm 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.