Helicopters over Modjeska Canyon
Live helicopter tracking for Modjeska Canyon, Orange County — updated every few seconds.
Modjeska Canyon, Orange County
Checking the sky overhead…
GTLA AirWatch · Live area briefing · positions from ADS-B, rechecked every 20 seconds
Tonight over Modjeska Canyon
Nothing overhead now. The last helicopter left 75 minutes ago, heading northwest.
- 7:13pm — Orange County Sheriff'S Department (N185SD) passed through in 1 minute, high.came from Foothill Ranch (7:13pm)went on to Silverado Canyon (7:14pm)
- 1:25pm — US ARMY (17-20929) passed through in 1 minute, high.came from Trabuco Canyon (1:17pm)
- 9:57am — Air Methods (N230AM) passed through in 1 minute, high.came from Trabuco Canyon (9:57am)went on to Silverado Canyon (9:58am)
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.
The sky over Modjeska Canyon
Who flies over Modjeska Canyon
- Fire / medical50%
- Sheriff25%
- Private17%
- Military8%
The regulars over Modjeska Canyon
The aircraft recorded here most often — the ones you’ll see again.
- Orange Co FireN412FA3 recorded visits· usually 6–9pm· last here Mon 10:36 AM
- Orange County Sheriff'S DepartmentN183SD2 recorded visits· last here Mon 7:05 PM
- Orange Co FireN141FA2 recorded visits· last here Wed 7:14 PM
What it usually means
Fire / medical: Fire and air-medical helicopters mean a fire response, a rescue, or a hospital transport — often brief, and often at low altitude.
Sheriff (LASD): Sheriff's helicopters typically orbit for a search, a pursuit, or to support deputies on the ground.
Private / civil: Private and civil helicopters are usually in transit, on a charter, or on a survey flight.
Military: Military aircraft are usually transiting between bases or on a training route rather than responding to anything local.
Recent helicopter activity
- Sep 8, 7:13 PMOrange County Sheriff'S DepartmentN185SD · AS502,275–2,450 ft1 minNW
- Sep 8, 1:25 PMUS ARMY17-20929 · H602,750–3,250 ft1 minNW
- Sep 8, 9:57 AMAir MethodsN230AM · EC353,325–4,000 ft1 minNW
- Sep 7, 7:02 PMOrange County Sheriff'S DepartmentN183SD · AS502,250–4,175 ft3 minNE
- Sep 7, 10:35 AMOrange Co FireN412FA · H601,575–1,900 ft1 minSE
- Sep 4, 8:20 PMOrange Co FireN412FA · H603,675–3,775 ft1 minE
- Sep 4, 8:02 PMOrange Co FireN412FA · H602,875–3,675 ft1 minNE
- Sep 4, 3:50 PMOrange County Sheriff'S DepartmentN183SD · AS501,700–2,150 ft2 minSW
- Sep 3, 11:12 AMBrb Flight ServicesN58160 · H2691,800–2,400 ft7 minNW
- Sep 2, 7:12 PMOrange Co FireN141FA · B4121,900–2,000 ft1 minNW
- Sep 2, 6:52 PMCAL FIREN476DF · H602,050–2,325 ft1 minN
- Sep 2, 4:52 PMOrange Co FireN141FA · B4121,800–1,900 ft2 minNW
Nearby coverage
Helicopters over Modjeska Canyon common questions
Why is there a helicopter over Modjeska Canyon?
Most helicopter activity over Modjeska Canyon 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.
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.
More from GTLA
Your way into GTLA.
From the aircraft overhead to the story on your block.
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