Helicopters over Sunset Beach
Live helicopter tracking for Sunset Beach, Orange County — updated every few seconds.
Sunset Beach, Orange County
Checking the sky overhead…
GTLA AirWatch · Live area briefing · positions from ADS-B, rechecked every 20 seconds
Today over Sunset Beach
Nothing overhead now — quiet for the last 2 hours.
- 11:24am — Robinson Helicopter (N4060W) passed through in 1 minute, low.came from Bolsa Chica (11:24am)went on to Seal Beach (11:26am)
- 11:17am — Robinson Helicopter (N4060W) passed through in 1 minute, mid-level.came from Seal Beach (11:17am)went on to Bolsa Chica (11:18am)
- 10:04am — Mercy Air (N908KB) passed through in 1 minute, mid-level.came from Leisure World Seal Beach (10:04am)went on to Avalon (10:13am)
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.
The sky over Sunset Beach
Who flies over Sunset Beach
- Private71%
- Military15%
- News9%
- Police3%
- Sheriff3%
The regulars over Sunset Beach
The aircraft recorded here most often — the ones you’ll see again.
- VerticalN707274 recorded visits· usually 12–3pm· last here Fri 2:12 PM
- MaverickN850MH3 recorded visits· last here Thu 2:58 PM
- Robinson HelicopterN4060W2 recorded visits· last here Sat 11:26 AM
- Private / civilN544FA2 recorded visits· last here Fri 6:24 PM
- Private / civilN841MC2 recorded visits· last here Fri 4:24 PM
Who flies over Sunset Beach, by the numbers
Private and charter helicopters over Sunset Beach
24 of 34 recorded passes over Sunset Beach were private and charter helicopters — 71% of the traffic here, 0.6 hours overhead in total.
Most often: Vertical (N70727), 4 recorded passesusually 12pm–3pmtypically 600–1,550 ft
Private and charter aircraft are usually in transit, on a tour or a survey flight, and pass through without stopping.
What it usually means
Private / civil: Private and civil helicopters are usually in transit, on a charter, or on a survey flight.
Military: Military aircraft are usually transiting between bases or on a training route rather than responding to anything local.
News helicopter: News helicopters usually mean live coverage of a developing story — a pursuit, a fire, or a scene the station is broadcasting.
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.
Recent helicopter activity
- Sep 5, 11:24 AMRobinson HelicopterN4060W · R66650–825 ft1 minW
- Sep 5, 11:17 AMRobinson HelicopterN4060W · R661,000–1,325 ft1 minSE
- Sep 5, 10:04 AMMercy AirN908KB · B429950–1,000 ft1 minSW
- Sep 4, 6:23 PMPrivate / civilN544FA · R44825–900 ft1 minNW
- Sep 4, 6:17 PMPrivate / civilN544FA · R44825–875 ft1 minSE
- Sep 4, 4:23 PMPrivate / civilN841MC · R22700–800 ft2 minNW
- Sep 4, 3:05 PMPrivate / civilN841MC · R22900 ft1 minSE
- Sep 4, 2:41 PMHelistreamN80156 · R22975–1,025 ft1 minNW
- Sep 4, 2:39 PMAir MethodsN944AM · EC452,525–2,550 ft1 minNW
- Sep 4, 2:17 PMNovember AlphaN323TH · R66500–700 ft1 minSE
- Sep 4, 2:08 PMVerticalN70727 · R441,650–2,025 ft4 minNW
- Sep 4, 2:03 PMNovember AlphaN323TH · R66500–600 ft1 minNW
- Sep 4, 1:43 PMVerticalN496TP · R221,550–1,650 ft3 minNW
- Sep 4, 1:36 PMVerticalN496TP · R221,725–1,875 ft1 minNW
- Sep 4, 1:00 PMVerticalN70727 · R442,575–2,625 ft1 minW
- Sep 4, 12:11 PMVerticalN70727 · R441,925–2,050 ft2 minN
- Sep 4, 10:32 AMPrivate / civilN4063R · R44575–600 ft1 minNW
- Sep 4, 10:21 AMPrivate / civilN4063R · R44600–625 ft2 minSE
- Sep 4, 7:05 AMLASDN953LA · AS50200–275 ft1 minSE
- Sep 3, 9:45 PMVerticalN70727 · R442,925–3,050 ft1 minNE
- Sep 3, 6:44 PMAnaheim Police DeptN226PD · AS50400–1,050 ft1 minSE
- Sep 3, 5:48 PMUS ARMY17-20931 · H602,325–4,425 ft3 minE
- Sep 3, 3:37 PMMil / CG168162 · H60500 ft1 minNW
- Sep 3, 2:57 PMMaverickN850MH · EC30600 ft1 minNW
- Sep 3, 11:29 AMUS ARMY18-20980 · H603,000–5,950 ft3 minN
- Sep 3, 11:26 AMUS ARMY17-20931 · H602,900–4,175 ft1 minSE
- Sep 3, 10:39 AMBrb Flight ServicesN58160 · H269900–1,000 ft2 minSE
- Sep 3, 10:18 AMMaverickN850MH · EC30400–500 ft1 minNW
- Sep 3, 9:09 AMABC NewsCopterN828AP · AS50700–800 ft1 minNW
- Sep 3, 7:14 AMMaverickN850MH · EC30400–500 ft1 minSE
- Sep 2, 8:39 PMUS ARMY17-20929 · H603,500–3,525 ft1 minE
- Sep 2, 5:43 PMNewsChopper 4N358TV · AS50300–650 ft5 minNW
- Sep 2, 4:48 PMSky5N925TV · AS50800–900 ft1 minNW
- Sep 2, 4:46 PMTsunami SkydiversN290KC · R22700–800 ft1 minSE
Nearby coverage
Helicopters over Sunset Beach common questions
How high do helicopters fly over Sunset Beach?
From the passes recorded here: private and charter helicopters at 600–1,550 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.
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.
More from GTLA
Your way into GTLA.
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