Inside - Era Training Center

T H E
OC TOBER 2011 EDITION
A NEW ERA IN
AV I AT I O N
N
E
W
Moving Forward with Era’s Safety Culture;
Era Kicks Off New Safety Campaign
E
As a kick off to the new Safety Bonus
Program, Era ran a Safety Slogan
L
E
T
T
E
R
Inside
Left to right: Terry Duprie-Director of Safety, Brandi Roy Brown-Safety Program Administrator,
Robert Van de Vuurst-President, Chastity Marks-2nd place award winner and Josh Gelinas-3rd
place award winner, display a banner with the winning safety slogan.
ra has been pressing
forward this year to develop
a new Safety Bonus
program that would replace
the existing program to be
better suited to meet the needs of a
company as diversified as Era and
reward our employees for doing what
they do best, working safely. The new
Safety Bonus program not only rewards
people for safe behavior, it also
rewards people for thinking and being
proactive about Safety.
S
contest during the month of June. We
were very excited to see some great
participation in this contest – almost
400 slogans were received from
various employees. All of them were
excellent suggestions, but the
committee felt that three slogans truly
captured the spirit of Era’s Safety
Culture and goals and were the “cream
of the crop.” Coming in third place was
“Era Safety; be at the Leading Edge of
it” contributed by Joshua Gelinas, who
won $100 for his contribution. Second
place was captured with “Safety in
Focus” by Chastity Marks, who
received $200.
4
Turtle Counting!
5
EraSAR Celebrates One Year
of Service
(See Safety Culture, page 4)
W W W. E R A H E L I C O P T E R S . C O M
W W W. E R A L E A S I N G L LC . C O M
W W W. E R AT R A I N I N G C E N T E R . C O M
W W W. E R A F L I G H T S E E I N G . C O M
Letter from the President
This letter is written with mixed emotions, and no small amount of irony, as we’re currently going through a “good news, bad news”
period at Era. First, let’s look at the good news. As everyone knows, we recently implemented a new Safety Campaign under the
new Slogan of “Flying is Our Passion, Safety is Our Mission.” Everyone also knows, or should know, that nothing is MY particular
passion more than Safety – Safety for all of our employees and all of our customers, all the time. I won’t go into the details of
this new program here as it has been the topic of at least one hangar meeting and several emails, but suffice it to say that the
response has already exceeded our expectations in terms of proactive Safety discussions and reporting by all of you. Safety
concerns, reports, and suggestions through the new Ramco reporting database are up, and some of the suggestions are really
great stuff. As an example, we had a report come in the other day which advised that, after somebody accidentally dialed 911 on
a company phone, they discovered that their base’s address in the 911 system was incorrect. As a result of that, we checked our
911 addresses throughout the entire company and found other errors. This is exactly the kind of proactive thinking and planning
that the new Safety Campaign was designed to encourage, and we are all a lot safer for it. Keep the ideas and reports coming!!
Now, for the bad news. Not long after we announced the new Safety Bonus program, we lost one of our Team members in an
accident in Alaska. The Team member was Bill Zeman, a long-term and very well respected pilot in our Alaska division, and our
most senior and highest-time Astar pilot. On October 28, Bill’s helicopter crashed during a ferry flight from Bethel to Iliamna, Alaska.
The NTSB is investigating the accident, and we’re cooperating to the fullest extent. Most importantly, we’re doing everything we
can to assist Bill’s wife, Bonnie, and their two sons through this most difficult time. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.
While we are waiting to determine exactly what happened, I would like everyone to use this as a refresher course in what we need
to do every day to Stay Safe. Please remember that bad things can happen in this business, and they can happen very quickly.
You can help avoid trouble by slowing down and thinking through what you’re doing – all day, every day. It is our job, and it is the
Number One core value of Era to be absolutely safe, all the time. Please remember that as we go forward.
I also want to take a moment to say a fond “farewell” to an individual who was the architect responsible for Era’s achievements
since the Seacor purchase in 2004. I first met Ed Washecka in 2003 when Seacor purchased Tex-Air Helicopters. Back then he
was basically a newcomer to the world of aviation in general, and helicopters in particular. I was still practicing law at that time
and I remember scratching my head and wondering how this young guy was going to lead our company. After that came the Era
Aviation purchase in 2004 and I still had some of the same questions. Over the years, however, I have been privileged to watch
and learn from Ed, who I discovered was one of the quickest studies, and candidly one of the smartest individuals, that I’ve ever
worked with. He quickly became a major force in the helicopter industry and transformed Era into what it is today – a global player
with a healthy balance sheet and a company that has done so well that its parent, Seacor, decided to invest almost $800 million
dollars into it in just seven years. It’s an accomplishment that Ed and Era can always be proud of and one for which we’ll always be
in his debt. Ed has decided to leave Era to pursue other opportunities, and we wish him nothing but success as he goes forward.
The silver lining in this cloud is what he’s left behind – a first-class company full of top-notch people (you) that I would stack up
against anyone else in the aviation world. It’s a company of which I am proud to be the President. We will go forward, we will
learn some lessons from losing Bill Zeman, and we will do great things. I am positive of it.
So let’s talk about some of these great things. Era Training Center continues to expand, with the opening of its new building and
the installation of a brand-new AW139 FTD. The Air Medical division went live this quarter with a brand new contract for PennStar
in Pennsylvania, operating two EC135’s. Our SAR program reached its first year anniversary and continues to operate a firstclass program that is the envy of the Gulf of Mexico. Our Flightseeing division concluded another good season in Alaska that was,
most importantly, accident and incident-free. We continue to take new aircraft deliveries (AW139’s, EC135’s, and two EC225’s),
and we’re keeping these aircraft busy. In the midst of one of the worst economies since the Great Depression, we are hiring
and are actively recruiting personnel at many different levels. We recently closed on our acquisition of a minority interest in our
Brazilian partner, Aeroleo, which will lead to expanded opportunities for everyone as the Brazilian market continues to improve.
As always, Stay Safe, and thanks for everything that you do.
Robert Van de Vuurst
2 T H E E R A S TA R
October 2011
Special Recognition for Lance Weir
From Logistics and Cores Team
For almost three months, the Logistics and Cores Team
operated short one person in the Receiving Department.
During that time Lance Weir, Cores Administrator, willingly
filled in the gap while continuing to fulfill his normal dayto-day duties. He accepted the additional assignment of
Receiving Representative during the interim and excelled
in all areas. His ability to manage two different sets of
responsibilities with integrity and proficiency earned him
Era’s “Versatile Team Player” Award from the Logistics and
Cores Team. Thank you, Lance, for displaying our team
service culture and values!
Lance received a plaque and gift certificate for his
exceptional work performance. Shown is Raynell LewisOgiugo - Logistics & Cores Manager, Lance Weir and Dave
Gorsky, Era Director of Supply Chain Management.
Dan Diebels Receives
Shell’s Goal Zero Hero
Award
Dan Diebels, an AMT at Era’s Prudhoe Bay, Alaska
base, has been recognized by Shell as their Goal Zero
Hero award winner for July 2011. Goal Zero Hero is a
recognition program developed by Shell that identifies and
recognizes individuals for displaying outstanding Health &
Safety behaviors that go beyond their normal work duty.
Dan was nominated for two separate events which were
ultimately ranked 1st and 2nd from all nominations received;
first for his community interaction with children visiting the
airstrip and, second for identifying a necessary repair to
assure safe helicopter flight. Dan was stationed at Shell’s
Wainwright operation for the Onshore Environmental
Survey project when he performed the actions that earned
him the special award. When visited by local children
that rode their bicycles to the Wainwright Airstrip, he
took the time to explain helicopter safety to them. Each
child was then buckled into a seat to get the feel of flying
in a helicopter. Dan concluded this very positive local
interaction with the children by sending them off with a
bubble gum treat. Dan received a gift from Shell for his
actions and now qualifies for the annual Shell Goal Zero
Hero award.
Above: Shell’s Alaska HSSE Technician Supervisor, Mike Corron
(left), awards a first aid kit to Dan Diebels, Era AMT (right),
recognizing him as the July recipient of Shell’s “Goal Zero Hero”. Above: Children are given the opportunity to see a helicopter up
close while visiting the Shell Wainwright operation. T H E E R A S TA R O c t o b e r 2 0 1 1 3
“Turtle Counting” in the Gulf of Mexico
Most people are aware that Era provides personnel
transport services to the shallow and deepwater oil and gas
fields in the Gulf of Mexico, but few people know of some of
the other interesting projects we are involved in the Gulf of
Mexico. Ben Devine, a Pilot based in Fourchon, Louisiana
recently participated in a “turtle counting” project. In July,
Ben picked up two marine biologists from the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and flew
them offshore where they landed on a derrick barge. An oil
and gas company was in the process of pulling out one of
their platforms. This process involves first removing the
above water portion of the platform and then the legs are
destroyed for removal. This process is highly monitored to
assure no marine wildlife, such as sea turtles or porpoises,
are in the water within a half-mile radius of the platform
before it is destroyed. The helicopter must fly in a circle
above the area for 45 consecutive minutes without seeing
any marine life. For this particular mission, every time
the group took off for their 45 minute flight, a turtle or
dolphin was observed too close to the structure. According
to Ben, it took over two days, a dozen flights and a lot of
turtle watching before the operator was cleared to remove
the platform. Above: Captain Ben Devine, Pilot - Fourchon,
stands next to his A119 (Koala) used during the
“turtle watch” assignment.
Safety Culture, continued from page 1
Finally, the winning slogan that will be featured throughout
our company is:
“Flying is our Passion, Safety is our Mission”
submitted by Michael Daigle, who received $500! We truly
appreciate everybody’s enthusiasm and participation in this
great contest and congratulate each of the winners.
Left to right: Rebekah Bowers, International Shipping Analyst/
Customer Service Rep, and Chad Hine, Blake Monsour, Eric Ham,
Casey Sonnier and Clayton Levgerne, all with the Lake Charles
Maintenance Department, proudly show off the t-shirts received during
the new Safety kickoff campaign.
4 T H E E R A S TA R O c t o b e r 2 0 1 1
Every employee in the company has, or will, receive a
t-shirt with the new safety slogan boldly printed across the
back and the company logo on the front. Additionally, every
base, as well as every medical program, will receive
banners depicting our slogan and our safety culture, which
will be prominently displayed for anyone entering the base
to see.
EraSAR Celebrates One-Year Anniversary
Submitted by Captain Eugene Reynolds, EraSAR Lead Pilot, Fourchon
September 2011 marks one year of operations for the
Era / Priority 1 SAR team. The SAR-1 aircrew flew their
very first operational mission one year ago on September
2, 2010, out of Port Fourchon, Louisiana. On this first
mission, they provided mutual aid to the U.S. Coast Guard
and transported six patients after an explosion and fire on
an offshore platform.
Now, one year later, the EraSAR team has flown over
108 missions, over 15,000 nautical miles, over 308 hours
and transported 98 patients. In addition, the SAR crews
have conducted numerous hoisting operations, including
three hoist missions from vessels underway, with one of
those being at night. The team has responded to calls
at all hours of the day and night and flown to numerous
destinations throughout the Gulf of Mexico. The aircrews
have trained extremely hard and maintained proficiency in
a plethora of challenging mission tasks. Additionally, they
have stood at the ready to respond to several potential
natural disasters, including hurricanes, tropical storms and
rising flood waters from the Mississippi River, all while maintaining an impeccable safety record.
The success of the program is a direct result of the hard work and dedication of the entire SAR team, including the Era
Communication Specialists; the Air Medical Dispatchers; the aircraft maintainers and support personnel; the Priority 1
Air Rescue System Operators, Rescue Swimmers and Paramedics; and the AW139 SAR pilots. Without this team of
dedicated professionals, the program would not be where it is today. Special thanks are also extended to the Galveston
and Fourchon Base Managers, as well as the East and West Side Area Managers, for their support and assistance over
the past year. From marketing and management to refueling and maintenance, everyone has played a significant role in
the success of this program. Era’s SAR subscribers and other customers have been extremely impressed and pleased
with the SAR team’s unparalleled performance record, rapid response times, emphasis on safety, patient care standard
and dedication to excellence.
L LC
ERA
S
As EraSAR enters its second year in the Gulf of Mexico, the team is training harder and maintaining a mission focus that
is second to none. The team is expecting another great year as activity in the Gulf increases and operations continue to
expand. EraSAR stands ready to respond anywhere, anytime.
LICOPTER
E
H
SAR/EMS
Far left: Captain Ryan Meador and
Captain Steve Gilpin display the EraSAR
patch which Captain Meador helped
design. The patch is worn by the pilots
of this special crew on their sleeves.
Additionally, the Fourchon, Louisiana
crew proudly carry the “Club Fou” patch
on the opposite sleeve!
T H E E R A S TA R
October 2011 5
a SEACOR company
Exceptional People;
Exceptional Performances
R.P. Mouton has gone above and beyond his regular duty of monitoring
consumables within the Houma Maintenance Facility. R.P. has taken
it upon himself to devise a “dot” system that makes it easy for all AMTs
to take a product from the cabinet and immediately find the information
necessary to determine the shelf life or the condition of a product. He
has helped to improve Era’s overall safety and efficiency through the
development of his system. R.P. Mouton is an excellent example of
Era’s Safety Culture and should be recognized for the obvious pride
he takes in his work. His desire to help improve and develop standards,
such as the “dot” system, shows that he is dedicated to the continual improvement and advancement of Safety within Era Helicopters.
Left to right: Robert Van de Vuust observes as R.P.
Mouton receives his award from Paul White.
On the morning of February 16, 2011, while working in the hangar of
the Deadhorse Alaska Base, Lead AMT Joe Coston was informed that
the base fuel truck had smoke or steam coming from underneath the
hood. As Joe proceeded out to the fuel truck, he could tell by the smell
and color of the smoke that there was indeed something under the
hood on fire. As another employee went for a nearby fire extinguisher,
Joe opened the hood and noticed flames near the alternator area. Joe
immediately scooped up some snow and threw it on the flames thereby
smothering the fire. Due to his quick thinking and the professional
manner in which this emergency was handled, a potentially lifethreatening catastrophe was avoided.
Left to right: Joe Coston proudly displays his award
with Randy Orr and Robert Van de Vuurst.
Following a July 22, 2011 landing, Captain Robert Satz noticed a 6–7
inch gap between the deck and the fuel pit. Captain Satz realized
that a serious injury could occur to someone during refueling or while
conducting daily checks of the fuel system, if they did not notice
the gap. By taking the time and effort to report his observations and
recommendations, Era was able to address the condition instead of it
remaining a hazard. Safety is a team effort and we appreciate Captain
Satz being part of the Era team.
Above: Captain Robert Satz with the helicopter he
flies, an EC135, on a helideck.
6 T H E E R A S TA R O c t o b e r 2 0 1 1
Community Volunteer Support
Program Rolled Out
Era Helicopters recognizes the value of employee involvement in our
communities. The Community Volunteer Support Program has been
created to assist and encourage Era employees to volunteer in the
communities in which they live and work. Therefore, the company
will support employee and employee spouse involvement in certain
organizations by providing financial grants to the organization in
proportion to the time volunteered by the person.
All regular full-time employees who have completed one year of service
with Era Helicopters or its subsidiaries, and their spouse, are eligible.
In order to be eligible, the organization for which the employee is
volunteering time must be devoted to community service and must
qualify under Internal Revenue Service (IRS) regulations to receive tax
deductible contributions. Such groups are often referred to as charitable,
educational or cultural, but can also include activities such as Scouting
and Little League. Also eligible are religious-sponsored charitable
programs that are available to all.
Specifically excluded from the program are organizations that
•
•
•
are principally political or religious;
are ineligible for company contributions under federal, state or local
law;
represent a conflict of interest for Era Helicopters or its employees.
Public’s Love of
Helicopters Evident
at Model Fly-In
The LARKS Mayday Remote Control (RC)
Heli-Funfly, an event much anticipated
by model RC helicopter pilots, was held
at Hinch Field, just outside Lake Charles,
on Saturday, April 30. Over 200 aviation
enthusiasts of all ages thrilled to the exploits
of over 100 model helicopters during the
two day event. Era’s display of an AS350
on Saturday proved to be a favorite among
many of the attendees.
The purpose of this program is to support the volunteer activities of Era
Helicopters employees and spouses. Therefore, the funds are restricted
to the support of a project or activity in which the employee or spouse is
directly and actively nvolved. Funds are intended to be used for
equipment and expenses, not salaries.
Grants will be made from a limited budget established each fiscal year.
When the fund is depleted, no more grants will be awarded. Grant
requests and organization eligibility will be evaluated and approved by
the Company representative overseeing the program. Grants will be
limited to one per employee, and one per spouse, per year. Total grants
from the company will also be limited to $1000 per organization per year.
If you are interested in participating in this program, contact Mona Morris
at [email protected] to obtain an application. Complete Part A
of the form and forward it to the recipient organization. An administrator
for the organization should complete Part B. Mail the completed form
and supporting documentation to:
Era Helicopters LLC
Attn: Mona Morris
P.O. Box 6550
Lake Charles, LA 70606
T H E E R A S TA R
October 2011 7
Partnership with Disney Cruise Line Proves
Very Successful for Era Flightseeing
Submitted by Tim Cudney, Era Director of Business Development - Flightseeing
Era Flightseeing in Juneau, Alaska is proud to announce the success of our first year working in partnership with Disney
Cruise Line. The 2011 season marked many new beginnings, and thanks to Disney and their support, we were able to
make our new Disney exclusive signature tour, Dog Musher for a Day, a complete success. Below shows the tour as described on Disney Cruise Line’s website:
•
Take off on a helicopter and soar over the massive Juneau ice
field and visit a landscape from another world. Experience the
spectacular icefalls and rock formations of the Juneau ice field
from the air and on foot. Accessible only by air, the region we fly
to is filled with lush forests, glassy alpine lakes, jagged mountain
peaks, and awe-inspiring glaciers during an approximate
20-minute flight. Find Alaska’s unique glaciers in differing stages:
advancing, retreating, cascading, or a peculiar floating glacier.
•
Land on the glacier and receive a warm welcome from the crew at
Alaska Heli Mush and meet the sled dogs of the Iditarod.
•
Tour the camp and see behind-the-scenes areas such as the
kennel, the cookhouse, living quarters and veterinary clinic.
During this interactive tour you will help prepare your dog team for
the day of mushing that lies ahead. After preparing a champion’s
meal for your new canine companions, watch their enjoyment as
you brush their furry coats.
•
Assist with the wellness check: carefully inspect the dogs’ paws
and dose of sunscreen to protect from sunlight reflection off the
snow. Once your furry friends are fed and cleared for the trail,
you will assist your musher with harnessing and booting your dog
team for the trail. Learn the musher’s commands of “Hike!” “Gee!”
and “Haw!” and head out across the snow-capped glacier!
•
Conclude your glacier living experience and take off again for
another 20 minutes of awe-inspiriting scenery and unparalleled
natural beauty, before reaching the heliport and transferring back
to the ship.
Above: A child enjoys interacting with two of the dog
team while at the dog base.
Above: A photo op before preparing for take-off!
Guests were on the glacier for 2 ½ hours with a 20 minute flight to and from the glacier. This tour was generally sold out
weekly at $699 per person to 12 lucky guests onboard the Disney Wonder. Guests commented that this tour was the
highlight of their vacation.
8
T H E E R A S TA R O c t o b e r 2 0 1 1
Era Training Center Current Events
Submitted by Ryann Tadlock, Marketing Manager - Era Training Center
Era Training Center (ETC) is busting at the seams, literally! We have just completed our facility expansion which
added an additional 2,431 square feet, pushing our footprint over the 10,000 square foot mark; ten thousand one
hundred and twenty-five to be exact. The completion of the additional space couldn’t have come at a better time as we
are expecting the delivery of our Level 6 AW139 Flight Simulator Training Device (FSTD) at any moment. The expansion
includes two additional SIM bays complete with a private briefing and debriefing room for each, along with additional office
and classroom space.
You know the old saying, “don’t fix what isn’t broke?” Well, that’s exactly how we are approaching our AW139 training
program as we continue to feel strongly about keeping the actual aircraft in the training. The combination of ground
school, the FSTD and the aircraft have worked well for us in the past with the AS350 B2 and EC135 P2+ models. We are
confident this is the best approach as we move into the AW139. Once our device is certified and our training program is
Part 142 approved, we will offer the following courses: Type rating on a commercial certificate, ATP add on rating, ATP
and type rating, and/or recurrent training. ETC is looking forward to training both Era Helicopters’ pilots, as well as other
third party operators in the AW139. See y’all soon!
Above: AW139 FSTD Side View
Above: AW139 FSTD Top View
Please continue to check out our website for updates at www.eratrainingcenter.com.
On the Road Again… Can’t Wait to Get Back on the Road Again!
Era Training Center is proud to support a diverse group of rotary wing
operators. A big part of this is exhibiting at various helicopter
tradeshows throughout the year. Whether it’s a quick “howdy, how’s
the family” or it’s a discussion regarding a maneuver that needs to
be implemented into a program for a specific mission, we feel it’s
important to have that face-to-face interaction with our current clients
and potential future clients. Educational seminars and learning about
the latest and greatest in the industry are always at the top of our list
while attending these shows as well.
This summer ETC was in full force at the Airborne Law Enforcement
Association’s (ALEA) 41st Annual Conference and Exposition. The
show was actually on our home turf in New Orleans, Louisiana, so,
the road wasn’t too long this time around. ETC also traveled to South
America in August to attend the Latin American Business Aviation
Conference & Exhibit (LABACE) in São Paulo, Brazil. With Brazil
being one of the fastest growing major economies in the world right
now, and with its booming off-shore oil and gas exploration, this was
the place to be. Era Training Center is looking forward to the
multitude of opportunities that await us in Brazil.
Above left to right: Inside São Paulo Military Police
Hangar, Fernando Castellani (ETC), Cesar Augusto
Silva (São Paulo Military Police, First Lieutenant | Pilot)
and Ryann Tadlock (ETC).
T H E E R A S TA R
October 2011 9
Babies: Era Families Continue to Grow
Right: Blake Monsour,
AMT, Lake Charles, and
wife, Candice, welcome
daughter, Kennedy Victoria
Monsour. Born on June
27, 2011, at 11:50 AM,
Kennedy weighed 8 lbs
14 oz. and measured 20
inches.
Above: Nick Ramjattan, AMT, Lake Charles,
and his wife are proud to announce the birth of
their son, Zachary Nicholas Ramjattan. Born
at 5:59 PM on July 23, 2011, Zachary arrived
weighing 6 lbs and 13 oz.
Above: Joseph Arockiadoss, Era
Ramco Systems Manager, Lake
Charles, and wife, Florence, are
proud to announce the birth of their
son, Jacob Celestin Arockiadoss.
Born on June 15, 2011, Jacob arrived
weighing 6 lbs and 11 oz. and was 20
inches.
1 0 T H E E R A S TA R
October 2011
Right: Mike Bury,
Flightseeing Pilot,
Juneau, Alaska, and
wife, Krisztina, announce
the birth of son Bertalan
Samuel Bury. Born on
September 19, 2011, at
1:56 PM, Bertalan greeted
the world at 7 lbs 11 oz.
and was 19.5 inches long.
Big brother Bence loves
having him!
Left: Jaime and
Barbara Alvarado are
proud grandparents of
newborn grandchild,
Rayna Leigh Gauldin,
born at 6:24 PM on
October 14, 2011.
She weighed 6 lbs 5
ozs. and measured 20
inches in length.
Jaime works in the
Avionics Department
at the Lake Charles
Repair Station.
More Special Moments in
Employees Lives!
Above: Ryan Meador, Pilot, Fourchon, Louisiana,
and wife, Sherrell, are proud to announce the birth
of their son, Ryan Paul Meador. Born on
March 23, 2011, he weighed 4 lbs and 11 oz.
Above: Peter Kelly, Pilot, Fourchon, Louisiana,
and wife, Erin, are proud to announce the birth of
their daughter, Eden Kelly. Born on July 12, 2011,
Eden weighed 6 lbs and 12 oz.
Above: Pat Giarrizzo, HEMS Pilot with LifeFlight
of Maine, married the love of his life, Jennifer
Cleaveland, an Emergency Room Nurse at Central
Maine Medical Center, on September 10, 2011, on
the ocean at Bailey Island, Maine. His extended
family now includes two new children, Emily and
Logan Cleaveland.
Above: Jennifer West, Pilot – Juneau, Alaska,
married Rick Casillo this summer. Jennifer has
been flying for Era for 6 years and currently flies
glacier tours in Alaska. Rick is an Iditarod musher
and met Jennifer when she landed her helicopter
at the dog tour camp where he was working three
years ago. They got married on a whale watching
boat in Juneau, Alaska on July 22, 2011.
T H E E R A S TA R
October 2011 11
Retirees Club
Terry Bennett, General Manager for Million Air, a long-time and wellrespected member of the helicopter aviation community retired from Era on
August 26, 2011, after 22 years of service. Terry served as an aviator in the
United States Army in Vietnam and then continued his service to our country
until his honorable retirement in 1989. After his retirement from the Army,
he joined the Era family and quickly began to climb the ladder, which was
not a surprise to anyone who knew him. After beginning as a pilot, he held
roles as an instructor pilot, Assistant Director of Training and Safety, Director
of Aviation Safety, HSE Vice-President, Vice-President/Alaskan Operations,
and finally as General Manager of FBO Operations. It is safe to say that Era
would not be where it is today, especially in Alaska, without the steadfast
contributions and hard work of Terry Bennett over a lot of years. Terry is now
moving on to what will undoubtedly be more successes in Alaska, as the first
in-state Aviation Advisor for British Petroleum. We wish Terry and his wife,
Gail, the best of success in retirement and this new adventure.
Captain Albert Brown retired on June 29, 2011. He joined Era in 2004
bringing with him experience in both rotor and fixed wing aviation with several
type ratings in both, along with a maintenance background. Highlights of his
expansive career include line mechanic, pilot/mechanic, corporate pilot for
both fixed and rotor wing, S-61 pilot for a defense contract with the U.S. Navy,
and last but not least, his time with Era. Captain Brown flew the S76 when he
first joined Era, but he then went over to the S-61 program until his retirement.
retiring, Captain Brown has been perusing other interests at his home
esident Kirchner Opens Oil Exploration in SouthSince
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in Tennessee, and says he carries with him fond memories of the many
talented people he had the honor to work with while at Era.
Captain Patrick Booth retired effective May 18, 2011, after 29 years
of service with Era, the fourth helicopter operator he had worked for in the
Gulf. In joining Era, Captain Booth says he was looking for a company that
would be there for as long as he wanted to stay. When he retired, he had over
21,000 hours flight time of which over 15,000 hours were with Era. His entire
career with Era was spent flying in the Gulf of Mexico in many different types
of helicopters and on several different contracts. The helicopter he enjoyed
the most was the S61N. He flew the BP contract for almost 20 years. In his
retirement Captain Booth says he is working much harder than he did when
he was at Era, as he is trying to catch up on all the jobs around the house that
have built up over the last 29 years.
1 2 T H E E R A S TA R O c t o b e r 2 0 1 1
Retirees Club
Captain William (Terry) Crane retired on April 25, 2011. An EMS
Pilot flying the S76 with Miami Children’s Hospital since 2003, Captain Crane
joined the Era team in 2007. Prior to that, he was an ENG (electronic news
gathering) pilot for ABC TV, then CBS TV, in New York City. He received
the HAI Pilot Safety Award, which honors helicopter pilots worldwide who
have at least 5,000 consecutive hours of accident and violation-free flight
hours. Captain Crane retired from Era with over 10,500 flight hours with a
“0” incident safety record. In “retirement” he is pursuing his other passions,
yachting and scuba diving! He has started a yacht delivery service with a
friend and says you can find him at yachtdeliverycaptains.net .
Captain Ai Miller retired on September 21, 2011 after 23 years with
Era. His flying career began in 1977 when he served in the U.S. Army and
was stationed in Ft. Richardson, Alaska. After leaving the military, he worked
for a part 135 operator until he started with Era Aviation in January of 1988. Captain Miller was part of the Alaska division until 2001, during which time
he flew the crew for Jacques Cousteau during their study of polar bears,
worked on the North Slope and the Cook Inlet. After transferring to the Gulf
division of Era Helicopters in 2001, he flew for the United Nations in Croatia,
worked relief on fires, completed two rotations to Suriname, and had been
in the Search and Rescue program since its inception. Captain Miller retired
with more than 10,000 hours flight time. His professionalism, knowledge,
experience and positive, can-do attitude were great assets to Era. He will
be sorely missed. Following his retirement, Ai plans to travel the country and
attend football games. He will retire in Arizona.
Captain Otis Henson retired on June 15, 2011. His 60-year career in
aviation began in 1951 when he flew his first solo flight in a Piper J3 Cub. He
then flew charter flights and worked in aviation maintenance while attending
college. After graduating, he taught and coached football, track, basketball
and golf in Texas where he still holds the state record for most wins in Class
B football while at Barstow High School. His helicopter career in the Gulf
of Mexico started in 1968. Prior to joining Era in 2005, Captain Henson’s
exceptional airmanship was demonstrated when he made an air restart
from 500 feet AGL in a Bell 47-J, for which he received a commendation.
His career in the helicopter industry included the positions of Chief Pilot and
Aviation Consultant. On June 26, 2001, while working at Era, Captain Henson
received his 20th pilot proficiency award. Captain Henson has flown over 80
different models of airplanes and helicopters accident free.
T H E E R A S TA R O c t o b e r 2 0 1 1 1 3
More Exceptional People;
Exceptional Performances
On July 21, 2011, Gil Traigle, Logistics Department Driver, was doing
what he does every day; driving. However, his defensive driving
actions on this day were noted when a CDL driver called the 800
number printed on our trucks to praise the actions of Gil. A pickup
truck was disabled in the center lane of I-10 just over the peak of a
bridge, out of view from oncoming traffic, in Slidell, Louisiana. A semi
had turned his flashers on to warn other vehicles and to divert them
from the lane. Gil’s observant actions to turn his flashers on and slow
the traffic behind him clearly exemplified the fundamental principles
of defensive driving skills: Aim High in Steering (look 15 seconds into
your future), Get the Big Picture (look for hazards), Keep Your Eyes
Moving, Leave Yourself an Out, and Make Sure They See You. His
ability to stay focused as a skilled defensive driver enabled him to react
in a safe, courteous, and professional way according to the report
submitted by the CDL driver.
Left to right: Gil Traigle receives his award from Paul
White.
On July 7, 2011, while flying U.S. Coast Guard personnel in the
Mississippi Canyon 920 area, Captain Rick Warner landed safely after
experiencing an engine malfunction on his aircraft. Captain Warner
demonstrated great skill and a calm professional bearing while bringing
the aircraft to a safe and uneventful landing. The U.S. Coast Guard
personnel on board commended Captain Warner’s training, experience,
judgment, and professionalism. It was also noted by the Coast Guard
crew that Captain Warner’s actions reflect highly on Era Helicopters and
they wish to see him continue on their contract for some time. We are
proud to have an employee of Captain Warner’s caliber flying for Era.
Above: Captain Rick Warner preparing for flight.
Joshua Keller has become an indispensable and integral member to
Era’s Lake Charles Facility Recycling Program. He has been very
helpful in increasing the awareness of the recycling program and
regularly contributes his efforts in assisting with the collection of the
materials. Josh is the perfect example of an employee going above and
beyond their normal job duties and contributing to the environmental
well being of our company’s health and safety programs. His efforts
have contributed to the success of our Recycling Program. Left to right: Joshua Keller proudly displays his
award with Paul White observing.
1 4 T H E E R A S TA R O c t o b e r 2 0 1 1
Company Picnic Provides Fun for the Whole Family!
Prien Lake Park in Lake Charles provided the perfect location for
the Annual Era Family Picnic held for employees and their families
on Saturday, June 7. The music of a Cajun band entertained not
only participants at the picnic, but also the crowd that gathered
from within the park. With a magician for the children (of all ages!),
horseshoes, wringers, quarterback toss and a high striker carnival
game, there was plenty of fun for all. A highlight of the day was the
dunking booth with key Era management personnel taking the hot
seat. It seemed the line never ended with eager employees ready
to drop the boss into the cold water! Nobody left hungry due to a
menu providing a whole roasted pig, beef brisket, a bevy of assorted
sides, hot dogs, hamburgers and various desserts. Door prizes were
drawn throughout the day and each participant received an insulated
koozie.
2011 Era Golf
Tournament
Successful
Era’s annual Employee and Friends Golf Tournament was held on Saturday,
June 11, at Gray Plantation Golf Club in Lake Charles. Competition was strong as
the twenty-two teams battled for the coveted first place honor, as well as specialty
awards. Eurocopter USA provided a hole-in-one package providing prizes for a
hole-in-one on any par 3, which included a $10,000 hole. Unfortunately, nobody
claimed a hole-in-one prize during the tournament, but there is always next year!
The team of Maggie Welch, Richard Rowland, Kirk Martin, and Kevin Martin
captured first place (see photo at left). Interestingly enough, Richard and Kirk were
on the team that claimed the honor of last place in the 2010 tournament, proving
you should never give up! Immediately following completion of the round, golfers
met inside the clubhouse for a lunch buffet provided compliments of Sikorsky
Aircraft. Drinks on the course and during lunch were provided to golfers and
volunteers thanks to Macro Oil.
Special thanks go out to our volunteers Michelle Manual, Chastity Marks (official
tournament photographer!), Ryann Tadlock, Anna Odom, Diana Ramirez (who
brought friend, Sugera Armstrong), Beau Brown and Robert Van de Vuurst for all
their help to make the tournament a success!
T H E E R A S TA R O c t o b e r 2 0 1 1 1 5
Focus on Employees…our Greatest Asset
Our success is greatly attributed to the team of exceptional employees that keep us flying every day. Without these people, Era
would be “just another helicopter company.” In this spirit, we recognize the employees that have reached milestones in their service
with us. Congratulations to the following employees who celebrated anniversaries between April 1, 2011, and October 31, 2011.
35 Years
30 Years
25 Years
Michael Carroll
Tim Culver
Steven Sprowles
20 Year Anniversaries
Steve Hoffman
Daniel Cunningham
15 Year Anniversaries
Jack Guidry
Karl Coston
Bob Nelson
1 6 T H E E R A S TA R O c t o b e r 2 0 1 1
Linda Shuff
Ed Smith
Focus on Employees…our Greatest Asset (Cont’d)
10 Year Anniversaries
Fred Defibaugh
Anders Gaustad
Gerald Guillory
Jack Herring
Jimmy LeBlanc
Jay Miller
Lester Morgan
Maz Rahmaty
Richard Rowland
Jerrod Seabaugh
Vern Vaught
5 Year Anniversaries
Jeff Blankenship
Kevin Bellard
Charles Beamish
Geoffrey Agmata
Michael Brady
Paolo Corradini
Bill Brock
T H E E R A S TA R
October 2011 17
Focus on Employees
5 Year Anniversaries (Cont’d)
Michael Cuzzourt
Jo Bob Daigle
Dale Dahms
Jeff Daniels
Miles Feerick
Mark Fontenot
John Guidry
Darryll Gilmore
Lynn Hall
Pete Haure
John Hescock
Doug Jacobs
Steven Johnson
Gary Juneau
Jan Kirschbaum
Mark LaRocque
1 8 T H E E R A S TA R O c t o b e r 2 0 1 1
Tim Liljander
Lex Martin
Focus on Employees
5 Year Anniversaries (Cont’d)
Erick Martinez
Dustin McElroy
Richard McDade
Eddy Metcalfe
Brett Muller
Greg Perry
Leah Pohorelsky
James Sims
Leonard Smith
Roger Tagaloa
Richard Tonu
Yann Nervesa
John Pacetti
Dana Raaz
Robert Rink
Kyle Sonnier
Jason Wheeler
Nathan Stephens
Kelly Zeigler
T H E E R A S TA R O c t o b e r 2 0 1 1 1 9
Juneau Jr. Pilot Career Day...Recruiting Them Young!
The Juneau, Alaska base recently hosted two groups of
children and their parents from the Juneau Co-op
Pre-school for a fun-filled Show and Tell Day. Ranging in
age from 3 to 5, the forty students were able to get a firsthand look inside the helicopters and learn about them. It
was hard to tell if the children or their parents had the best
time!
Above: A specal piece of art received from the school
children depicting original drawings of helicopters by
the class. The file is available upon request for printing
and framing!
Annual Era Health Fair Scheduled for November 18
As Fall arrives, it reminds us all that we are about to enter the cold and flu season! To
help employees prepare for the season and evaluate their health, Era will be providing
our annual Employee Health Fair in Lake Charles on Friday, November 18, from
8 AM till noon at the Transport Center. Christus St. Patrick Hospital will be providing
a variety of wellness screenings and health education to employees. Your health is
important to Era, so flu shots and lab blood studies will be provided at no expense
to participating employees. Lab studies include total cholesterol (HDL & LDL),
triglycerides, glucose (blood sugar), PSA for men and thyroid for women. We
encourage everyone available to attend and take advantage of the great services
offered. Health education services will include cancer prevention, understanding
your cardiac numbers, diabetes education, sleep disorder education and many more.
Please contact Brittany Drummand at 337-478-6131 if you want to participate in the
flu shots or lab studies, so that the hospital can reserve the necessary number for our
employees. Era will be covering all costs for these tests and services.
2 0 T H E E R A S TA R O c t o b e r 2 0 1 1
Above:Employees participate in
the 2010 Era Employee Health
Fair in Lake Charles.
Fourchon Receives OUTSTANDING Audit!
Corporate Office
Era Helicopters LLC
600 Airport Service Road
Lake Charles, LA 70605
Phone: 337-478-6131
Fax: 337-474-3421
The Era Star is a newsletter
published for the employees of the
Era Group. If you have any
questions or ideas for future articles,
please contact Melanie Landry,
Communications Coordinator, at
337-656-4153 or send emails to:
[email protected] .
The Fourchon Base Personnel are to be recognized for an OUTSTANDING
performance on their most recent annual audit. Areas of particular comment
included the passenger screening, weigh-in and manifest process, maintenance
paperwork, cleanliness of the spaces, proactive effort to capture shelf life dates
for consumables, flight operations/safety and the overall genuine concern for safe
and efficient day-to-day operations. It was very clear that much time and effort
by all Fourchon based employees went into the preparation for the audit. The
overall positive attitude of the personnel presented to the audit team was greatly
appreciated and demonstrates Era employees at their finest. Congratulations
to all Fourchon Base Personnel for your professionalism, dedication and total
contribution to the success of Era Helicopters. A JOB WELL DONE!
2011 Christmas
Party Planned
Era will host their Annual Christmas
Party in Lake Charles on Saturday,
December 10, 2011, at L’auberge
du Lac Hotel and Casino. Any
employee who lives, or is in the
Lake Charles area during this
period, can attend with one guest.
More information will be provided,
but anyone who would like to make
hotel reservations at L’auberge for
this event are encouraged to do so
early, as there are limited rooms.
Employees are responsible for
their own hotel rooms. For hotel
reservations, go to:
www.ldlcasino.com (complete
Online Reservation Form) or call
866-580-7444
Identifying code for Era Group Code #SERA6
Room rate $159
Reservations must be made by
12/5/2011
48 hour cancellation policy
Above, left to right: Fourchon base employees Robert Pejro, Jason Quinn, Gene Reynolds,
Rich Wallace, Ebin Latrimurti, Joe Martin, Michael Bagala, Ed Mingledorff, Chad Sevin, Rory
Martinez, Holly Cornett, Don Mejia, Kyle Moore, Gene Carvalho and Will Carter.
Left: Holly Cornett, Base
Manager - Fourchon (center)
accepts the audit award on
behalf of the entire Fourchon
base from Robert Van de Vuurst,
left, and Paul White, right.
T H E E R A S TA R O c t o b e r 2 0 1 1 2 1