| 
           SEGMENT INFORMATION, MAJOR CUSTOMERS AND GEOGRAPHICAL DATA Schedule of Revenue from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified 
         | 
        3 Months Ended | 
        12 Months Ended | 
      
      
        | 
           Dec. 31, 2014 
         | 
        
           Sep. 30, 2014 
         | 
        
           Jun. 30, 2014 
         | 
        
           Mar. 31, 2014 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2013 
         | 
        
           Sep. 30, 2013 
         | 
        
           Jun. 30, 2013 
         | 
        
           Mar. 31, 2013 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2014 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2013 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2012 
         | 
      
      
        | Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items] | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
      
      
        | Operating revenues | 
        
$ 74,689us-gaap_Revenues
 | 
        
$ 90,510us-gaap_Revenues
 | 
        
$ 86,580us-gaap_Revenues
 | 
        
$ 79,443us-gaap_Revenues
 | 
        
$ 75,998us-gaap_Revenues
 | 
        
$ 80,997us-gaap_Revenues
 | 
        
$ 74,237us-gaap_Revenues
 | 
        
$ 67,727us-gaap_Revenues
 | 
        
$ 331,222us-gaap_Revenues
 | 
        
$ 298,959us-gaap_Revenues
 | 
        
$ 272,921us-gaap_Revenues
 | 
      
      
        | Property and Equipment | 
        
863,126us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
        
803,652us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
        
863,126us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet
 | 
        
803,652us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet
 | 
         
 | 
      
      
        | United States [Member] | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
      
      
        | Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items] | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
      
      
        | Operating revenues | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
        
281,869us-gaap_Revenues / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = country_US
 | 
        
245,581us-gaap_Revenues / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = country_US
 | 
        
213,920us-gaap_Revenues / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = country_US
 | 
      
      
        | Property and Equipment | 
        
639,852us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = country_US
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
        
579,509us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = country_US
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
        
639,852us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = country_US
 | 
        
579,509us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = country_US
 | 
         
 | 
      
      
        | Latin America and the Caribbean [Member] | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
      
      
        | Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items] | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
      
      
        | Operating revenues | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
        
20,524us-gaap_Revenues / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = era_LatinAmericaandtheCaribbeanMember
 | 
        
23,407us-gaap_Revenues / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = era_LatinAmericaandtheCaribbeanMember
 | 
        
23,636us-gaap_Revenues / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = era_LatinAmericaandtheCaribbeanMember
 | 
      
      
        | Property and Equipment | 
        
134,829us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = era_LatinAmericaandtheCaribbeanMember
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
        
130,844us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = era_LatinAmericaandtheCaribbeanMember
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
        
134,829us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = era_LatinAmericaandtheCaribbeanMember
 | 
        
130,844us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = era_LatinAmericaandtheCaribbeanMember
 | 
         
 | 
      
      
        | Europe [Member] | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
      
      
        | Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items] | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
      
      
        | Operating revenues | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
        
17,914us-gaap_Revenues / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = us-gaap_EuropeMember
 | 
        
22,008us-gaap_Revenues / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = us-gaap_EuropeMember
 | 
        
25,749us-gaap_Revenues / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = us-gaap_EuropeMember
 | 
      
      
        | Property and Equipment | 
        
70,134us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = us-gaap_EuropeMember
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
        
73,631us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = us-gaap_EuropeMember
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
        
70,134us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = us-gaap_EuropeMember
 | 
        
73,631us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = us-gaap_EuropeMember
 | 
         
 | 
      
      
        | Asia [Member] | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
      
      
        | Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items] | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
      
      
        | Operating revenues | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
        
10,915us-gaap_Revenues / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = us-gaap_AsiaMember
 | 
        
7,679us-gaap_Revenues / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = us-gaap_AsiaMember
 | 
        
9,298us-gaap_Revenues / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = us-gaap_AsiaMember
 | 
      
      
        | Property and Equipment | 
        
18,311us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = us-gaap_AsiaMember
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
        
19,349us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = us-gaap_AsiaMember
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
        
18,311us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = us-gaap_AsiaMember
 | 
        
19,349us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = us-gaap_AsiaMember
 | 
         
 | 
      
      
        | Canada [Member] | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
      
      
        | Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items] | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
      
      
        | Operating revenues | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
        
0us-gaap_Revenues / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = country_CA
 | 
        
284us-gaap_Revenues / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = country_CA
 | 
        
318us-gaap_Revenues / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = country_CA
 | 
      
      
        | Property and Equipment | 
        
$ 0us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = country_CA
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
        
$ 319us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = country_CA
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
         
 | 
        
$ 0us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = country_CA
 | 
        
$ 319us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = country_CA
 | 
         
 |