Helicopters over Mar Vista

Private and charter helicopters over Mar Vista

628 of 1,308 recorded passes over Mar Vista were private and charter helicopters — 48% of the traffic here, 32.3 hours overhead in total.

Most often: Lite Flight (N825VJ), 8 recorded passesusually 12pm–3pmtypically 200–900 ft

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

Police helicopters over Mar Vista

539 of 1,308 recorded passes over Mar Vista were police helicopters — 41% of the traffic here, 21.2 hours overhead in total.

Most often: LAPD (N224LA), 22 recorded passestypically 500–700 ft

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 Mar Vista

99 of 1,308 recorded passes over Mar Vista were news helicopters — 8% of the traffic here, 6.7 hours overhead in total.

Most often: ABC NewsCopter (N828AP), 9 recorded passesusually 10am–1pmtypically 800–1,500 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 Mar Vista

19 of 1,308 recorded passes over Mar Vista were military helicopters — 1% of the traffic here, 1.2 hours overhead in total.

Most often: US ARMY (20-21168), 3 recorded passes

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

Why is a police helicopter circling over Mar Vista?

Police helicopters account for 41% of the 1,308 helicopter passes recorded over Mar Vista. The one you see most is LAPD (N224LA), 22 recorded passes. They typically fly at 500–700 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.

Is that a news helicopter over Mar Vista?

News helicopters account for 8% of the 1,308 helicopter passes recorded over Mar Vista. The one you see most is ABC NewsCopter (N828AP), 9 recorded passes. They are usually 10am–1pm here. They typically fly at 800–1,500 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 Mar Vista?

From the passes recorded here: private and charter helicopters at 200–900 ft; police helicopters at 500–700 ft; news 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 Mar Vista?

Most passes are brief — a minute or two straight through. The aircraft that stay longest here are private and charter helicopters: 32.3 hours overhead across 628 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.