Helicopters over Mojave

Live helicopter tracking for Mojave, Kern County — updated every few seconds.

Area briefing

Mojave, Kern County

Checking the sky overhead…

GTLA AirWatch · Live area briefing · positions from ADS-B, rechecked every 20 seconds

Map of Mojave, Kern County
Scanning
Live map — checking for helicopters over Mojave… The dashed ring is the 12 km radius this page counts as “over Mojave”; inner rings mark one-third and two-thirds of that distance.

Tonight over Mojave

Nothing overhead now. The last helicopter left 17 minutes ago, heading south.

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.

Who's hovering here?View the full live map

The sky over Mojave

287helicopter passes tracked over 52 days
38.6
passes per week
7.4
hours overhead per week
8 AM
busiest hour
Private
most common overhead

By hour of day

12a
3a
6a
9a
12p
3p
6p
9p
Busiest hour: 8a · this hour (7p) has averaged 4 passes historically

Who flies over Mojave

  • Private84%
  • Military9%
  • Fire / medical6%
  • Police0%
  • CHP0%

The regulars over Mojave

The aircraft recorded here most often — the ones you’ll see again.

Who flies over Mojave, by the numbers

Private and charter helicopters over Mojave

240 of 287 recorded passes over Mojave were private and charter helicopters — 84% of the traffic here, 51.1 hours overhead in total.

typically 3,100–4,300 ft

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

Military helicopters over Mojave

27 of 287 recorded passes over Mojave were military helicopters — 9% of the traffic here, 2.1 hours overhead in total.

Most often: Blue Sky (N80BH), 3 recorded passesusually 4pm–7pmtypically 3,400–5,500 ft

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

Fire and air-medical helicopters over Mojave

18 of 287 recorded passes over Mojave were fire and air-medical helicopters — 6% of the traffic here, 0.9 hours overhead in total.

usually 8am–11amtypically 3,050–4,700 ft

Fire and air-medical aircraft respond to fires, rescues and hospital transports — often brief, often low, and often straight in and out.

What it usually means

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.

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

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Helicopters over Mojave common questions

Why is a fire helicopter over Mojave?

Fire and air-medical helicopters account for 6% of the 287 helicopter passes recorded over Mojave. They are usually 8am–11am here. They typically fly at 3,050–4,700 ft above sea level. Fire and air-medical aircraft respond to fires, rescues and hospital transports — often brief, often low, and often straight in and out.

How high do helicopters fly over Mojave?

From the passes recorded here: private and charter helicopters at 3,100–4,300 ft; military helicopters at 3,400–5,500 ft; fire and air-medical helicopters at 3,050–4,700 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 Mojave?

Most passes are brief — a minute or two straight through. The aircraft that stay longest here are private and charter helicopters: 51.1 hours overhead across 240 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 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.

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