Helicopters over San Gabriel

Live helicopter tracking for San Gabriel, Los Angeles — updated every few seconds.

Area briefing

San Gabriel, Los Angeles

Checking the sky overhead…

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

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

Last night over San Gabriel

Nothing has been recorded over San Gabriel in the last 12 hours.

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 San Gabriel

The sky over San Gabriel

44helicopter passes tracked over 21 days
14.7
passes per week
0.4
hours overhead per week
11 AM
busiest hour
Sheriff
most common overhead

By hour of day

12a
3a
6a
9a
12p
3p
6p
9p
Busiest hour: 11a · this hour (6a) has averaged 4 passes historically

Who flies over San Gabriel

  • Sheriff48%
  • Private18%
  • Police18%
  • News16%

The regulars over San Gabriel

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

Who flies over San Gabriel, by the numbers

Sheriff's helicopters over San Gabriel

21 of 44 recorded passes over San Gabriel were sheriff's helicopters — 48% of the traffic here, 0.5 hours overhead in total.

Most often: LASD (N956LA), 5 recorded passestypically 900–1,250 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 San Gabriel

8 of 44 recorded passes over San Gabriel were private and charter helicopters — 18% of the traffic here, 0.1 hours overhead in total.

Most often: Masok Air (N567PW), 3 recorded passes

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

Police helicopters over San Gabriel

8 of 44 recorded passes over San Gabriel were police helicopters — 18% of the traffic here, 0.2 hours overhead in total.

Most often: LAPD (N225LA), 3 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.

What it usually means

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.

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.

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

Nearby coverage

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Helicopters over San Gabriel common questions

Is that a sheriff's helicopter over San Gabriel?

Sheriff's helicopters account for 48% of the 44 helicopter passes recorded over San Gabriel. The one you see most is LASD (N956LA), 5 recorded passes. They typically fly at 900–1,250 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.

Why is a police helicopter circling over San Gabriel?

Police helicopters account for 18% of the 44 helicopter passes recorded over San Gabriel. The one you see most is LAPD (N225LA), 3 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 high do helicopters fly over San Gabriel?

From the passes recorded here: sheriff's helicopters at 900–1,250 ft. These are the middle half of measured altitudes above sea level for each group, not a floor or a ceiling.

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.

What time do helicopters usually fly over San Gabriel?

Based on 44 tracked passes over San Gabriel, the most common hour for helicopter activity is around 11am local time. Activity rises during evening news hours and drops sharply overnight.

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.