Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

ACQUISITIONS AND DISPOSITIONS (Narrative) (Details)

v2.4.1.9
ACQUISITIONS AND DISPOSITIONS (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
helicopter
Mar. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2014
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]      
Capital expenditures $ 8,866,000us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquirePropertyPlantAndEquipment $ 18,751,000us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquirePropertyPlantAndEquipment  
Capitalized interest payments 1,700,000us-gaap_InterestCostsCapitalized 1,000,000us-gaap_InterestCostsCapitalized  
Number of acquisitions 0era_SignificantAcquisitionsAndDisposalsNumberOfAcquisitions    
Proceeds from disposition of property and equipment 5,379,000us-gaap_ProceedsFromSaleOfPropertyPlantAndEquipment 3,566,000us-gaap_ProceedsFromSaleOfPropertyPlantAndEquipment  
Gains on asset dispositions, net 3,388,000us-gaap_GainLossOnDispositionOfAssets 2,891,000us-gaap_GainLossOnDispositionOfAssets  
AW139 Medium Helicopter [Member]      
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]      
Number of acquisitions   2era_SignificantAcquisitionsAndDisposalsNumberOfAcquisitions
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= era_Aw139MediumHelicopterMember
 
Helicopter [Member]      
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]      
Gains on asset dispositions, net 2,200,000us-gaap_GainLossOnDispositionOfAssets
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= era_HelicopterMember
   
Construction in Progress [Member]      
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]      
Interest capitalized in property and equipment 6,700,000us-gaap_AccumulatedCapitalizedInterestCosts
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_ConstructionInProgressMember
  5,000,000us-gaap_AccumulatedCapitalizedInterestCosts
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_ConstructionInProgressMember
Equipment Leased to Other Party [Member]      
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]      
Gains on asset dispositions, net 1,200,000us-gaap_GainLossOnDispositionOfAssets
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_EquipmentLeasedToOtherPartyMember
   
Investment in lease asset $ 2,300,000us-gaap_CapitalLeasesNetInvestmentInDirectFinancingAndSalesTypeLeases
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_EquipmentLeasedToOtherPartyMember
   
Number of disposals from purchase option exercised 3era_PropertyPlantandEquipmentNumberofDisposalsPurchaseOptionExercised
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_EquipmentLeasedToOtherPartyMember