Helicopters over Silverado Canyon

Live helicopter tracking for Silverado Canyon, Orange County — updated every few seconds.

Area briefing

Silverado Canyon, Orange County

Checking the sky overhead…

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

Map of Silverado Canyon, Orange County
Scanning
Live map — checking for helicopters over Silverado Canyon… The dashed ring is the 8 km radius this page counts as “over Silverado Canyon”; inner rings mark one-third and two-thirds of that distance.

Today over Silverado Canyon

Nothing overhead now. The last helicopter left 31 minutes ago, heading northwest.

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 Silverado Canyon

369helicopter passes tracked over 60 days
43.1
passes per week
7.2
hours overhead per week
1 PM
busiest hour
Private
most common overhead

By hour of day

12a
3a
6a
9a
12p
3p
6p
9p
Busiest hour: 1p · this hour (2p) has averaged 31 passes historically

Who flies over Silverado Canyon

  • Private36%
  • Sheriff29%
  • Military15%
  • Fire / medical13%
  • Police4%
  • Other4%

The regulars over Silverado Canyon

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

Who flies over Silverado Canyon, by the numbers

Private and charter helicopters over Silverado Canyon

132 of 369 recorded passes over Silverado Canyon were private and charter helicopters — 36% of the traffic here, 22.9 hours overhead in total.

Most often: Vertical (N70727), 11 recorded passesusually 12pm–3pmtypically 1,600–2,400 ft

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

Sheriff's helicopters over Silverado Canyon

108 of 369 recorded passes over Silverado Canyon were sheriff's helicopters — 29% of the traffic here, 11.6 hours overhead in total.

Most often: LASD (N183SD), 38 recorded passestypically 1,400–2,200 ft

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

Military helicopters over Silverado Canyon

55 of 369 recorded passes over Silverado Canyon were military helicopters — 15% of the traffic here, 12.9 hours overhead in total.

Most often: US ARMY (17-20929), 9 recorded passesusually 8pm–11pmtypically 1,950–4,050 ft

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

Fire and air-medical helicopters over Silverado Canyon

47 of 369 recorded passes over Silverado Canyon were fire and air-medical helicopters — 13% of the traffic here, 10.6 hours overhead in total.

Most often: Orange Co Fire (N412FA), 12 recorded passestypically 900–2,200 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.

Sheriff (LASD): Sheriff's helicopters typically orbit for a search, a pursuit, or to support deputies on the ground.

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.

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Helicopters over Silverado Canyon common questions

Is that a sheriff's helicopter over Silverado Canyon?

Sheriff's helicopters account for 29% of the 369 helicopter passes recorded over Silverado Canyon. The one you see most is LASD (N183SD), 38 recorded passes. They typically fly at 1,400–2,200 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 fire helicopter over Silverado Canyon?

Fire and air-medical helicopters account for 13% of the 369 helicopter passes recorded over Silverado Canyon. The one you see most is Orange Co Fire (N412FA), 12 recorded passes. They typically fly at 900–2,200 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 Silverado Canyon?

From the passes recorded here: private and charter helicopters at 1,600–2,400 ft; sheriff's helicopters at 1,400–2,200 ft; military helicopters at 1,950–4,050 ft; fire and air-medical helicopters at 900–2,200 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 Silverado Canyon?

Most passes are brief — a minute or two straight through. The aircraft that stay longest here are private and charter helicopters: 22.9 hours overhead across 132 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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