Helicopters over Westchester

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

Area briefing

Westchester, Los Angeles County

Checking the sky overhead…

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

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

Today over Westchester

Nothing has been recorded over Westchester 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 Westchester

The sky over Westchester

96helicopter passes tracked over 42 days
16.0
passes per week
0.5
hours overhead per week
10 AM
busiest hour
Private
most common overhead

By hour of day

12a
3a
6a
9a
12p
3p
6p
9p
Busiest hour: 10a · this hour (1p) has averaged 7 passes historically

Who flies over Westchester

  • Private60%
  • Police17%
  • Sheriff17%
  • Military2%
  • CHP2%
  • Other2%

The regulars over Westchester

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

Who flies over Westchester, by the numbers

Private and charter helicopters over Westchester

58 of 96 recorded passes over Westchester were private and charter helicopters — 60% of the traffic here, 1.5 hours overhead in total.

usually 1pm–4pmtypically 3,350–3,550 ft

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

Police helicopters over Westchester

16 of 96 recorded passes over Westchester were police helicopters — 17% of the traffic here, 0.8 hours overhead in total.

Most often: LAPD (N224LA), 3 recorded passesusually 8am–11amtypically 400–600 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 Westchester

16 of 96 recorded passes over Westchester were sheriff's helicopters — 17% of the traffic here, 0.4 hours overhead in total.

Most often: LASD (N958LA), 15 recorded passesusually 9am–12pmtypically 4,550–5,050 ft

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

What it usually means

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.

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.

Recent helicopter activity

Nearby coverage

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Helicopters over Westchester common questions

Why is a police helicopter circling over Westchester?

Police helicopters account for 17% of the 96 helicopter passes recorded over Westchester. The one you see most is LAPD (N224LA), 3 recorded passes. They are usually 8am–11am here. They typically fly at 400–600 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 Westchester?

Sheriff's helicopters account for 17% of the 96 helicopter passes recorded over Westchester. The one you see most is LASD (N958LA), 15 recorded passes. They are usually 9am–12pm here. They typically fly at 4,550–5,050 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.

How high do helicopters fly over Westchester?

From the passes recorded here: private and charter helicopters at 3,350–3,550 ft; police helicopters at 400–600 ft; sheriff's helicopters at 4,550–5,050 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 Westchester?

Most passes are brief — a minute or two straight through. The aircraft that stay longest here are private and charter helicopters: 1.5 hours overhead across 58 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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