Helicopters over North Hollywood

Private and charter helicopters over North Hollywood

1,043 of 1,959 recorded passes over North Hollywood were private and charter helicopters — 53% of the traffic here, 23.3 hours overhead in total.

Most often: Lite Flight (N825VJ), 52 recorded passestypically 900–1,100 ft

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

Police helicopters over North Hollywood

752 of 1,959 recorded passes over North Hollywood were police helicopters — 38% of the traffic here, 50.8 hours overhead in total.

Most often: LAPD (N232LA), 30 recorded passestypically 1,050–1,300 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 North Hollywood

129 of 1,959 recorded passes over North Hollywood were news helicopters — 7% of the traffic here, 4.7 hours overhead in total.

Most often: ABC NewsCopter (N828AP), 6 recorded passesusually 7am–10amtypically 1,200–1,600 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 North Hollywood

14 of 1,959 recorded passes over North Hollywood were military helicopters — 1% of the traffic here, 0.2 hours overhead in total.

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

Why is a police helicopter circling over North Hollywood?

Police helicopters account for 38% of the 1,959 helicopter passes recorded over North Hollywood. The one you see most is LAPD (N232LA), 30 recorded passes. They typically fly at 1,050–1,300 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 North Hollywood?

News helicopters account for 7% of the 1,959 helicopter passes recorded over North Hollywood. The one you see most is ABC NewsCopter (N828AP), 6 recorded passes. They are usually 7am–10am here. They typically fly at 1,200–1,600 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 North Hollywood?

From the passes recorded here: private and charter helicopters at 900–1,100 ft; police helicopters at 1,050–1,300 ft; news helicopters at 1,200–1,600 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 North Hollywood?

Most passes are brief — a minute or two straight through. The aircraft that stay longest here are police helicopters: 50.8 hours overhead across 752 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.

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.