Helicopters over South Whittier

Sheriff's helicopters over South Whittier

664 of 1,065 recorded passes over South Whittier were sheriff's helicopters — 62% of the traffic here, 24 hours overhead in total.

Most often: LASD (N960LA), 32 recorded passestypically 750–1,050 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 South Whittier

268 of 1,065 recorded passes over South Whittier were private and charter helicopters — 25% of the traffic here, 7.5 hours overhead in total.

Most often: Spitzer Helicopter (N273SH), 28 recorded passestypically 1,200–1,900 ft

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

News helicopters over South Whittier

65 of 1,065 recorded passes over South Whittier were news helicopters — 6% of the traffic here, 1.7 hours overhead in total.

Most often: Sky5 (N925TV), 4 recorded passestypically 900–1,300 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.

Police helicopters over South Whittier

28 of 1,065 recorded passes over South Whittier were police helicopters — 3% of the traffic here, 1.1 hours overhead in total.

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 South Whittier?

Sheriff's helicopters account for 62% of the 1,065 helicopter passes recorded over South Whittier. The one you see most is LASD (N960LA), 32 recorded passes. They typically fly at 750–1,050 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 South Whittier?

News helicopters account for 6% of the 1,065 helicopter passes recorded over South Whittier. The one you see most is Sky5 (N925TV), 4 recorded passes. They typically fly at 900–1,300 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.

Why is a police helicopter circling over South Whittier?

Police helicopters account for 3% of the 1,065 helicopter passes recorded over South Whittier. 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 South Whittier?

From the passes recorded here: sheriff's helicopters at 750–1,050 ft; private and charter helicopters at 1,200–1,900 ft; news helicopters at 900–1,300 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 South Whittier?

Most passes are brief — a minute or two straight through. The aircraft that stay longest here are sheriff's helicopters: 24 hours overhead across 664 recorded passes. Sheriff's aircraft fly patrol, search and rescue across the county, and orbit a scene the same way police aircraft do.

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.