Helicopters over Pasadena

Live helicopter tracking for Pasadena, Los Angeles County — updated every few seconds.

Area briefing

Pasadena, Los Angeles County

Checking the sky overhead…

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

Map of Pasadena, Los Angeles County
Scanning
Live map — checking for helicopters over Pasadena… The dashed ring is the 3.5 km radius this page counts as “over Pasadena”; inner rings mark one-third and two-thirds of that distance.

Tonight over Pasadena

Nothing overhead now. The last helicopter left 75 minutes ago, heading north.

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

Recent incidents over Pasadena

The sky over Pasadena

1,279helicopter passes tracked over 66 days
135.7
passes per week
9.7
hours overhead per week
6 PM
busiest hour
Police
most common overhead

By hour of day

12a
3a
6a
9a
12p
3p
6p
9p
Busiest hour: 6p · this hour (11p) has averaged 63 passes historically

Who flies over Pasadena

  • Police62%
  • Sheriff14%
  • Private10%
  • News6%
  • Fire / medical4%
  • Other3%

The regulars over Pasadena

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

Who flies over Pasadena, by the numbers

Police helicopters over Pasadena

798 of 1,279 recorded passes over Pasadena were police helicopters — 62% of the traffic here, 76.3 hours overhead in total.

Most often: Pasadena PD (N239PS), 87 recorded passestypically 1,600–2,000 ft

Police aircraft typically fly tight, repeated orbits over one spot to support officers on the ground, and can hold for a long time.

Sheriff's helicopters over Pasadena

179 of 1,279 recorded passes over Pasadena were sheriff's helicopters — 14% of the traffic here, 4.3 hours overhead in total.

Most often: LASD (N958LA), 7 recorded passesusually 3pm–6pmtypically 1,400–1,650 ft

Sheriff's aircraft fly patrol, search and rescue across the county, and orbit a scene the same way police aircraft do.

Private and charter helicopters over Pasadena

128 of 1,279 recorded passes over Pasadena were private and charter helicopters — 10% of the traffic here, 3.8 hours overhead in total.

Most often: Helinet (N435AK), 3 recorded passestypically 1,500–2,200 ft

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

News helicopters over Pasadena

82 of 1,279 recorded passes over Pasadena were news helicopters — 6% of the traffic here, 3.1 hours overhead in total.

Most often: ABC NewsCopter (N828AP), 3 recorded passestypically 1,600–1,950 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.

What it usually means

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.

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.

News helicopter: News helicopters usually mean live coverage of a developing story — a pursuit, a fire, or a scene the station is broadcasting.

Recent helicopter activity

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Helicopters over Pasadena common questions

Why is a police helicopter circling over Pasadena?

Police helicopters account for 62% of the 1,279 helicopter passes recorded over Pasadena. The one you see most is Pasadena PD (N239PS), 87 recorded passes. They typically fly at 1,600–2,000 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 sheriff's helicopter over Pasadena?

Sheriff's helicopters account for 14% of the 1,279 helicopter passes recorded over Pasadena. The one you see most is LASD (N958LA), 7 recorded passes. They are usually 3pm–6pm here. They typically fly at 1,400–1,650 ft above sea level. Sheriff's aircraft fly patrol, search and rescue across the county, and orbit a scene the same way police aircraft do.

Is that a news helicopter over Pasadena?

News helicopters account for 6% of the 1,279 helicopter passes recorded over Pasadena. The one you see most is ABC NewsCopter (N828AP), 3 recorded passes. They typically fly at 1,600–1,950 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 Pasadena?

From the passes recorded here: police helicopters at 1,600–2,000 ft; sheriff's helicopters at 1,400–1,650 ft; private and charter helicopters at 1,500–2,200 ft; news helicopters at 1,600–1,950 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 Pasadena?

Most passes are brief — a minute or two straight through. The aircraft that stay longest here are police helicopters: 76.3 hours overhead across 798 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 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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