Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

LONG-TERM DEBT

v2.4.0.8
LONG-TERM DEBT
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2014
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]  
LONG-TERM DEBT
LONG-TERM DEBT
The Company’s borrowings were as follows (in thousands):
 
 
September 30, 2014
 
December 31, 2013
7.750% senior notes (excluding unamortized discount)
 
$
200,000

 
$
200,000

Senior secured revolving credit facility
 
55,000

 
55,000

Promissory notes
 
28,123

 
30,311

 
 
283,123

 
285,311

Less: portion due with one year
 
(2,787
)
 
(2,787
)
Less: debt discount, net
 
(2,946
)
 
(3,133
)
Total long-term debt
 
$
277,390

 
$
279,391


7.750% Senior Notes. On December 7, 2012, Era Group issued $200.0 million aggregate principal amount of its 7.750% senior unsecured notes due December 15, 2022 (the “7.750% Senior Notes”) and received net proceeds of $191.9 million. Interest on the 7.750% Senior Notes is payable semi-annually in arrears on June 15 and December 15 of each year.
Amended and Restated Senior Secured Revolving Credit Facility. On March 31, 2014, Era Group entered into an amended and restated senior secured revolving credit facility (the “Revolving Credit Facility”) that matures in March 2019. The Revolving Credit Facility provides Era Group with the ability to borrow up to $300.0 million with a sub-limit of up to $50.0 million for letters of credit and amends and restates the $200.0 million senior secured revolving credit facility (the “Prior Credit Facility”). Subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions precedent and the agreement by the lenders, the Revolving Credit Facility includes an “accordion” feature which, if exercised, will increase total commitments by up to $100.0 million. Era Group’s availability under the Revolving Credit Facility may be limited by the terms of the 7.750% Senior Notes. Advances under the Revolving Credit Facility at the closing were used to refinance indebtedness incurred under the Prior Credit Facility.
Borrowings under the Revolving Credit Facility bear interest at a rate per annum equal to, at Era Group’s election, either a base rate or LIBOR, each as defined, plus an applicable margin. The applicable margin is based on the Company’s ratio of funded debt to EBITDA, as defined, and ranges from 75 to 200 basis points on the base rate margin and 175 to 300 basis points on the LIBOR margin. The applicable margin as of September 30, 2014 was 75 basis points on the “base rate” margin and 175 basis points on the LIBOR margin. In addition, the Company is required to pay a quarterly commitment fee based on the average unfunded portion of the committed amount at a rate based on the Company’s ratio of funded debt to EBITDA, as defined, that ranges from 37.5 to 50 basis points. As of September 30, 2014, the commitment fee was 37.5 basis points.
The obligations under the Revolving Credit Facility are secured by a portion of the Company’s helicopter fleet and the Company’s other tangible and intangible assets and are guaranteed by Era Group’s wholly owned U.S. subsidiaries. The Revolving Credit Facility contains various restrictive covenants including interest coverage, funded debt to EBITDA, and fair market value of mortgaged helicopters plus accounts receivable and inventory to funded debt, as well as other customary covenants including certain restrictions on the Company’s ability to enter into certain transactions, including those that could result in the incurrence of additional indebtedness and liens, the making of loans, guarantees or investments, sales of assets, payments of dividends or repurchases of capital stock, and entering into transactions with affiliates.
As of September 30, 2014, Era Group had $55.0 million of outstanding borrowings under the Revolving Credit Facility, and the remaining availability was $244.3 million, net of issued letters of credit of $0.7 million. In connection with the amendment of the Revolving Credit Facility, Era Group incurred debt issuance costs of $2.4 million. Such costs are included in other assets on the condensed consolidated balance sheets and are amortized to interest expense in the condensed consolidated statements of operations over the life of the Revolving Credit Facility.
Promissory Notes. During the nine months ended September 30, 2014, Era Group made scheduled payments on other long-term debt of $2.2 million.