Watch LAPD-CHP Choppers in real-time using FlightRadar24

So I bought an app called FlightRadar24 to monitor in near real-time flights in my area. For the price of the app $4 it's pretty cool, especially for the aircraft listeners.

I zoomed way out and then into LA area and noticed there were 5 choppers roaming around. Clicking on the choppers revealed they were LAPD and CHP and one other agency.

Watching the LAPD chopper it would speed up, then hover for a while, then take off and roam.

Thought this was pretty cool and I know if I lived in LA being a scanner listener, it would be neat to watch where the choppers are at any given time.

Pretty cool

Sounds pretty cool, I'll definitely check it out - I listen to aircraft all of the time, one of my favorites.

You can also see Duke and Angel up in OC running on the I-TAC 800mhz frequencies too

It's free on the website and uses the same tracking that many other websites use to display aircraft flight tracking. Depending on the website there is a delay of several minutes minutes so it isn't truly real-time.

Planefinder has same ability, that website is free and I believe the app is too.

Curious as to the delay - is it just data lag like scanner radio, or truly a "forced" delay.

ADS-B equipped aircraft do not have a delay. At least on the plane finder app.

FlightRadar24, like FlightAware and others, consolidate data from multiple sources. ADS-B, as mentioned before, is typically real time and you can set up your own receiver to pick up local transmissions from aircraft overhead. Another source is FAA radar which is delayed by the FAA by policy. This is the source that generates the comments about the data being delayed. FlightRadar24 uses a different color for any aircraft on their display, that is being tracked using FAA radar, to show that the aircraft is being tracked by the FAA radar and the information is being delayed.

The data on Flightradar24 indicated by orange is from the FAA and has a 5 minute delay.

LASD aero units are indicated by tail numbers ending with "LA" and start with numbers in the 950's and 960's.

Pasadena PD1 that I saw flying was N8NF.

CHP N4014Z

OCSD N184SD

In the past I've seen Anaheim and Long Bch. One thing to keep in mind is agencies have an multiple craft just to keep one up when needed so other tail numbers might be PD for example.

I have seen news media mostly indicated with the plane on these maps with the exception of CH11 -N29FX. I've noticed that many stations use copters registered to an outfit called Purwin if you ran the tail number.

I've only scratched the surface.