Helicopters over Whittier Narrows

Live helicopter tracking for Whittier Narrows, Los Angeles — updated every few seconds.

Area briefing

Whittier Narrows, Los Angeles

Checking the sky overhead…

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

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

Last night over Whittier Narrows

Nothing overhead now — quiet for the last 3 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 Whittier Narrows

The sky over Whittier Narrows

226helicopter passes tracked over 18 days
87.9
passes per week
2.3
hours overhead per week
9 PM
busiest hour
Sheriff
most common overhead

By hour of day

12a
3a
6a
9a
12p
3p
6p
9p
Busiest hour: 9p · this hour (6a) has averaged 5 passes historically

Who flies over Whittier Narrows

  • Sheriff65%
  • Private21%
  • News6%
  • Military3%
  • CHP3%
  • Other2%

The regulars over Whittier Narrows

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

Who flies over Whittier Narrows, by the numbers

Sheriff's helicopters over Whittier Narrows

147 of 226 recorded passes over Whittier Narrows were sheriff's helicopters — 65% of the traffic here, 4 hours overhead in total.

Most often: LASD (N961LA), 30 recorded passestypically 900–1,150 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 Whittier Narrows

48 of 226 recorded passes over Whittier Narrows were private and charter helicopters — 21% of the traffic here, 1.1 hours overhead in total.

Most often: Patriot Aviation (N157PA), 5 recorded passestypically 1,000–1,400 ft

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

News helicopters over Whittier Narrows

14 of 226 recorded passes over Whittier Narrows were news helicopters — 6% of the traffic here, 0.4 hours overhead in total.

Most often: SkyCAL / SkyFOX 11 (N39CL), 6 recorded passesusually 6am–9amtypically 800–1,300 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.

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.

News helicopter: News helicopters usually mean live coverage of a developing story — a pursuit, a fire, or a scene the station is broadcasting.

Military: Military aircraft are usually transiting between bases or on a training route rather than responding to anything local.

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Helicopters over Whittier Narrows common questions

Is that a sheriff's helicopter over Whittier Narrows?

Sheriff's helicopters account for 65% of the 226 helicopter passes recorded over Whittier Narrows. The one you see most is LASD (N961LA), 30 recorded passes. They typically fly at 900–1,150 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 Whittier Narrows?

News helicopters account for 6% of the 226 helicopter passes recorded over Whittier Narrows. The one you see most is SkyCAL / SkyFOX 11 (N39CL), 6 recorded passes. They are usually 6am–9am here. They typically fly at 800–1,300 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.

How high do helicopters fly over Whittier Narrows?

From the passes recorded here: sheriff's helicopters at 900–1,150 ft; private and charter helicopters at 1,000–1,400 ft; news helicopters at 800–1,300 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 Whittier Narrows?

Most passes are brief — a minute or two straight through. The aircraft that stay longest here are sheriff's helicopters: 4 hours overhead across 147 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 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.