Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITIES AND EQUITY INVESTMENTS AND ADVANCES Schedule of Equity Method Investments (Details)

v2.4.1.9
VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITIES AND EQUITY INVESTMENTS AND ADVANCES Schedule of Equity Method Investments (Details) (USD $)
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Jul. 01, 2011
Jul. 23, 2014
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]        
Equity Method Investments $ 31,753us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestments $ 34,986us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestments    
Financial ownership percentage 51.00%era_EquityMethodInvestmentFinancialOwnershipPercentage      
Voting ownership percentage 50.00%era_EquityMethodInvestmentVotingOwnershipPercentage      
Dart Helicopter Services LLC [Member]        
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]        
Ownership 50.00%us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentOwnershipPercentage
/ us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis
= era_DartHelicopterServicesLLCMember 		     
Equity Method Investments 25,942us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestments
/ us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis
= era_DartHelicopterServicesLLCMember 		25,264us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestments
/ us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis
= era_DartHelicopterServicesLLCMember 		   
Aeroleo [Member]        
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]        
Ownership 50.00%us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentOwnershipPercentage
/ us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis
= era_AeroleoMember 		[1]   50.00%us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentOwnershipPercentage
/ us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis
= era_AeroleoMember 		 
Equity Method Investments 0us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestments
/ us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis
= era_AeroleoMember 		0us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestments
/ us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis
= era_AeroleoMember 		   
Voting ownership percentage     20.00%era_EquityMethodInvestmentVotingOwnershipPercentage
/ us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis
= era_AeroleoMember 		 
Era do Brazil [Member]        
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]        
Ownership 50.00%us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentOwnershipPercentage
/ us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis
= era_EradoBrazilMember 		[2]   50.00%us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentOwnershipPercentage
/ us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis
= era_EradoBrazilMember 		 
Equity Method Investments 0us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestments
/ us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis
= era_EradoBrazilMember 		0us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestments
/ us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis
= era_EradoBrazilMember 		   
Era Training Center [Member]        
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]        
Ownership 50.00%us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentOwnershipPercentage
/ us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis
= era_EraTrainingCenterMember 		     
Equity Method Investments 5,722us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestments
/ us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis
= era_EraTrainingCenterMember 		6,236us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestments
/ us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis
= era_EraTrainingCenterMember 		   
Lake Palma [Member]        
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]        
Ownership 51.00%us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentOwnershipPercentage
/ us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis
= era_LakePalmaMember 		[3]     51.00%us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentOwnershipPercentage
/ us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis
= era_LakePalmaMember
Equity Method Investments 0us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestments
/ us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis
= era_LakePalmaMember 		3,411us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestments
/ us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis
= era_LakePalmaMember 		   
Heli-Union Era Australia [Member]        
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]        
Ownership 45.00%us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentOwnershipPercentage
/ us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis
= era_HeliUnionEraAustraliaMember 		     
Equity Method Investments $ 89us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestments
/ us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis
= era_HeliUnionEraAustraliaMember 		$ 75us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestments
/ us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis
= era_HeliUnionEraAustraliaMember 		   
[1] Investment was impaired in 2012.
[2] Consolidated entity as of September 30, 2012 as this is a VIE in which the Company is the primary beneficiary.
[3] The Company owned a 51% financial interest in Lake Palma; however, it did not consolidate as it only controlled 50% of the venture’s voting rights. Effective July 24, 2014, the Company sold its interest in Lake Palma to its joint venture partner (see further discussion below).