Era Star Newsletter March 2012

T H E
MARCH 2012 EDITION
A NEW ERA IN
AV I AT I O N
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Inside
Captain Terry Cole Honored by HAI with
the 2012 W.A. (Dub) Blessing Certified
Flight Instructor of the Year Award
C
aptain Terry G. Cole has
received the prestigious
W.A. (Dub) Blessing
Certified Flight Instructor
of the Year Award for
2012, awarded by Helicopter
Association International (HAI).
Sponsored by H. Ross Perot, Jr., and
the Perot Family, Captain Cole was
honored at the HAI Heli-Expo 2012
Salute to Excellence awards dinner on
February 13 in Dallas, Texas.
Captain Cole’s aviation career began
in 1961 as a 14-year-old cadet in the
Civil Air Patrol in Ohio. Since then, he
has amassed more than 20,000 flight
5
hours, including nearly 16,000 in
helicopters with more than 8,000 in
helicopter instruction.
Last Bell 212 on Alaskan North
Slope
Cole joined the U.S. Army in 1966 and
served three tours in Vietnam-–one on
the ground and two flying six different
types of helicopter. He was awarded
the Vietnam Service Medal with three
Oak Leaf Clusters, Gallantry Medal
with “V” for Valor and Air Medals with
19 Clusters, among others. On his
return home, Cole, by now an
Instructor Pilot, Standardization
Instructor Pilot, and Instrument
Instructor Pilot, taught the Examiner’s
Course at Fort Rucker, Alabama.
18
Flightseeing Prepares to
Open 2012 Season
(See Terry Cole, page 7)
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 our Chief Operating Officer
IT’S TIME TO FOCUS ON WHAT OUR PURPOSE IS
“What is going on, why am I doing this, and where are we going?” I realized a while ago that all of us at Era needed
some answers to those questions when I started asking some people why we were doing certain things and what
the long term strategy for Era was. Unfortunately, about all I got was a lot of blank stares, shrugged shoulders, and
“I don’t know, it’s never really been explained to me” responses. All of which told me that while we’ve done a really
great job at transforming and updating Era since 2004, we could be doing a lot better job of telling people what we’re
doing, where we’re going, and why. A lot of you also made that perfectly clear in your responses to our Employee
Satisfaction survey – by far the greatest numbers of suggestions were for better communications from management.
I’d also bet a fair amount of money that this unanswered question (what I call “The Purpose Inquiry”) has doomed
more companies to mediocrity, if not outright failure, then just about every other cause combined. If you don’t know
what is going on, why you’ve been asked to do something, and what the long term goals are, then you don’t know
what your Purpose is. I firmly believe that, for any company to be successful, one of the top five priorities in the
“culture” has to be excellent communications, across all levels, all of the time. And it starts at the top. If I don’t
communicate the Purpose well with our management team, then they’re sure not going to be able to communicate it
well to you.
In order to fix some of these issues, we’ve recently started a long term project to define our Purpose at Era so that
all of us will know what we’re doing, and why, all the time . This past January we convened the First Annual Era
Group Strategic Planning meeting, where the entire management team spent three days brainstorming on what Era
is, what we want it to be, and how we’re going to get there. This is a work in progress, to be sure – we raised about
as many questions that weekend as we answered – but the end result was our first Mission Statement, as well as our
first Vision Statement, both of which are in this newsletter. These statements set out what our core values are and
what we will strive to become as a Team. Most importantly, we have several working groups that, with those Mission/
Vision statements in hand, are going to flesh out what were identified as areas where we need to focus to maximize
our potential. In broad brush strokes, those areas were identified as follows:
Fleet Planning – We have too many different types of aircraft, and having all of those different models is costing
us way too much money. We will focus on identifying which models of aircraft to get out of, and which to focus on,
which should result in a more efficient use of our assets and will generate better returns for Era and our customers.
Market analysis – We have jumped into a lot of different markets in the last seven years – Training and Air Medical
are just two of them. We need to analyze and determine which particular markets of the helicopter industry offer the
best potential for long term growth, not only in types of markets but in which geographic regions.
Facilities Planning – Era’s physical facilities are, in some instances, outdated and crowded. We will prepare a
long-term facilities plan which will best suit our present and long-term needs for employee and customer comfort and
efficiency.
IT – Era will establish its own dedicated IT resources and personnel department to best serve its needs.
Employee rewards – we will analyze our employee benefits program and change it where necessary to maximize
employee retention and satisfaction.
Training – We will develop and implement a comprehensive training program for ALL employees.
Cost Control – Although we do a good job at Era determining gross profits, we can do a better job calculating our
costs – such as allocating manpower and equipment costs to individual contracts. We must get a better handle on
what it is costing us to do business before we focus on profitability
(See Letter from our COO, Continued on page 3)
2 T H E E R A S TA R
March 2012
Letter from our COO
(Cont’d from page 2)
Corporate Citizenship – We will define and institute a program so that Era will be known not only for its safety record
and operational expertise, but also for its civic and charitable contributions.
And last (but certainly not least) – Internal Communications. We will improve the efficiency and effectiveness of our
internal company communications so that all Era Team members know the company’s status, objective, and goals, at
all times.
These are lofty goals, to be sure, and we’re talking a marathon to achieve them, not a sprint. As I noted above, we
have committees set up already that will be discussing the best ways to implement all of these long term strategic
goals, so if you have any thoughts, on any of them, please get in touch with Melanie Landry and she’ll make sure that
your suggestions are carefully considered. Most importantly, and if we do this right, none of you will ever have to ask
the Purpose Inquiry, ever again.
Now, as I said, good communications start at the top, and I may not have not been doing a very good job of it recently.
I won’t bore you with the details, but there’s been a LOT going on lately and I let myself get too swamped. With that
in mind, what you’re going to be seeing immediately, and at a minimum, are monthly briefing notes from me, so you’ll
know what’s going on, what we’re doing, and why. For now, we’ll call it “Robert’s Report,” although candidly I think
that title is completely boring and lame in the extremis. I briefly considered “Robert’s Rant,” but it sounded a shade too
aggressive and my wife and kids were singularly unimpressed when I asked them about it. I then proceeded to scare
the crap out of myself when I thought of “Robert’s Retort,” because I realized that I was putting my lawyer hat back
on, and I promised myself that I’d try to never do that. So, for now it’ll be “Robert’s Report,” but if you have any better
suggestions I’d love to hear them. Look for the first one in the first week of April, where we’ll delve into, among other
things, the credit line and the IPO that I mentioned above. In the meantime, and as always, my door is always open for
anyone who wants to discuss anything, at any time. And, as always, Stay Safe out there.
Robert Van de Vuurst
COO-–Era Group Inc.
Mission Statement
It is the Mission of Era to provide superior helicopter transportation and related services through:
• A relentless commitment to safety performance
• Integrity in all of our internal and external relationships
• A culture of excellence in a rewarding workplace
• Dedication to our customers, employees, partners, shareholders and communities
• Experience and professionalism
• Innovative and dynamic solutions
Vision Statement
Era is the industry’s recognized global leader focused upon:
• ZERO accidents
• ZERO adverse impacts to people, property, and the environment
• Earned respect from customers, colleagues, and competitors
• Retention of employees, partners, and customers
• Strategic growth to create shareholder value
• Outstanding return on capital
• Corporate citizenship—a positive impact upon communities and society
T H E E R A S TA R M a r c h 2 0 1 2 3
2011
Employees of the Year Named
IFR Pilot of the Year
135 Mechanic of the Year
Dale Dahms (left)
Daniel Graugnard (right)
with father, John Dahms, Steve
Smeltzer - Director of Operations,
and Frank Gayle - Chief Pilot
with Stu Stavley, VP - Maintenance
and Jerrod Seabaugh - Director of
Quality Assurance
Extra Mile Award Winner
Rebecca Wake
145 Mechanic of the Year
Eric Ham (right)
with Stu Stavley, VP - Maintenance
and Jerrod Seabaugh - Director of
Quality Assurance
4 T H E E R A S TA R M a r c h 2 0 1 2
VFR Pilot of the Year
Lenny Smith (middle)
with Steve Smeltzer - Director
of Operations and Frank Gayle Chief Pilot
The Last Bell 212 on the Alaskan North Slope
Submitted by Captain Steve Hill
Recently, a familiar sight on Alaska’s North Slope departed
to the South and slipped beyond the ridges of the Brooks
Range Mountains and may rarely be seen in this part of the
State of Alaska again. Thankfully though, this is not a story
about endangered wildlife.
For many oil companies, contractors, government agencies
and thousands of oil field workers, one of the most
reliable means of transportation across the tundra has
been the Bell 212 helicopter. Since 1975, the pilots of Era
Helicopters have logged hundreds of thousands of hours in
the Bell 212 out of Era’s “Sky Ranch” base, located at the
Deadhorse Airport. Through the years these aircraft have
contributed greatly to the success of many oil companies,
wildlife research and other arctic projects, providing
efficient, safe and convenient transportation.
When strong surface winds bring blinding snow conditions
to the area, traveling by vehicle or boat is often restrictive
or prohibited for worker safety. The Bell 212s has shuttled
passengers above areas of reduced ground visibility to
their destinations.
To further improve the availability to its customers, Era
Helicopters worked with the Federal Aviation Administration
in the 1970s to develop special helicopter instrument
approach procedures which allowed crews flying to offshore oil rigs in bad weather the ability to fly within onehalf mile from their destination at an altitude of just 200
feet above the ocean. At that point, if pilots could see their
destination platform, they could continue to the helipad and
land. If not, they could make a second landing attempt, fly
to an alternate site or return to the airport.
Another vital service the Bell 212 provided has been as
a medical air ambulance. Era Helicopters has responded
to calls from the Alaska Emergency Response Center,
Alaska State Troopers and the North Slope Borough
to assist in emergency situations. In one case, crews
responded to a call for assistance at night from a Royal
British Navy submarine 200 miles off shore. Onboard the
submarine was a sailor requiring urgent medical treatment
in Anchorage.
Initially developed as a single engine helicopter for U.S.
and Canadian military forces, they were best known as
UH-1 Hueys, synonymous with the war in South Vietnam.
The Bell 212, a twin-engine version of the UH-1, was
designed for the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps for assault
operations from ships. Eventually, they were sold to
commercial helicopter companies around the world.
Following the initial discovery of oil near Prudhoe Bay,
Alaska, gravel roads were built to provide access to
trucks hauling drill rigs, work camps and supplies. Today,
helicopters are used primarily to transport personnel and
light cargo to and from isolated facilities both on and
offshore, helping to reduce the environmental impact
on the land and wildlife, compared to adding additional
infrastructure.
Recently, a shift has been underway by many oil
companies to provide modern, safer and more efficient
aircraft for their employees to fly on. Quietly, next
generation helicopters are already showing up in Alaska.
Era Helicopters now operates the AgustaWestland AW139
for several of its customers along the Arctic coast.
The Bell 212 aircraft continue to maintain a presence in
the Alaskan oil industry by serving the needs of offshore oil
platforms throughout the Cook Inlet. Still, at some point in
the not-so-distant future, the Bell 212 will be retired and the
signature sound of its rotor blades slapping the air will fade
from our lives.
Throughout their service on Alaska’s North Slope, the Bell
212s have performed beyond initial expectations. The
aircraft adapted well to the environmental challenges and
helped rewrite the manuals on cold weather operations.
T H E E R A S TA R
March 2012 5
a SEACOR company
Exceptional People;
Exceptional Performances
On two separate occasions, August 18, 2011, and September 12,
2011, Captain Vince Reiley had the number 1 engine ECU fail in
flight. The number 1 engine had to be placed in manual control both
times. Manual mode operations is a maneuver that is only practiced
during check rides; even during check rides, a very limited amount
of time is spent on it because of the threat of accidently exceeding a
limitation. Captain Reiley demonstrated great skill when he brought
the aircraft to a safe and uneventful landing in both instances. Captain
Reiley’s outstanding performance under pressure during these incidents
demonstrates his professionalism and aviation expertise. His actions
are a credit to himself, and reflect positively on Era Helicopters and its
employees.
On November 1, 2011, Captain Nikki Dodge was circling to land on
platform SS241A when she received an alert on her TCAD at the same
altitude and closing fast. As she reduced airspeed she attempted
to make contact on the radio frequency; however, she received no
response. Captain Dodge noticed an aircraft approaching and it
appeared that it would pass on her right side. She attempted to call the
other aircraft again, but received no answer. As Captain Dodge was
starting her turn for final approach, the other aircraft made an abrupt
left turn toward her aircraft, resulting in both aircraft flying at the same
altitude and heading directly towards one another. Captain Dodge
initiated an immediate climb and left bank, allowing the approaching
aircraft to pass underneath her aircraft. Thanks to Captain Dodge’s
quick thinking and outstanding performance under pressure, a serious
accident was avoided. This incident demonstrates her professionalism
and aviation expertise.
Above left to right: Captain Vince Reiley receives his
award from Captain Al Poore, Era Area Manager.
Above: Captain Nikki Dodge displays her award.
On January 19, 2012, while walking between the North and South
hangars, Benny Francois noticed the smell of Turco in the air. He
began to investigate the source of the smell. After investigating,
he found that there was Turco leaking from a damaged 55 gallon
drum. Benny immediately notified his supervisor and the Director of
Safety. Measures were quickly taken to secure the damaged drum
and prevent additional leakage. Benny then began to assist in the
clean-up process by using absorbent pads to soak up any excess
Turco that was on the ground. Benny Francois represents the best
of Era Helicopters and we would like to recognize him and show our
appreciation for all of his hard work and dedication. His quick actions
helped to keep a minor spill from becoming a major spill.
6 T H E E R A S TA R M a r c h 2 0 1 2
Above left to right: Ben Hulshoff, Director of
Maintenance, congratulates Benny Francois.
BP MS150
As everyone knows, we recently implemented a new Safety
Campaign under the new Slogan “Flying is Our Passion, Safety
is Our Mission.” We’ve received excellent input from employees
on safety concerns, reports and suggestions in the new Ramco
reporting database. As a result, it was decided that in addition to
the ten $500 Quarterly winners, we would also award ten Honorable
Mentions. The Safety Concern Report Winners for the 4th quarter of
2011 are:
$500 Winners:
$100 Honorable Mentions:
Anders Gaustad
Cullen Baker
Robert Rink
Chastity Marks
Gregory Peters
Patrick Liggett
Douglas Casteel
Ethan Stephens
Gary Witherspoon
Paul Anderson
Christopher Gellene
Xavier Mallet
Kevin Ballard
Mark Young
Ashlee Devillier
James Sims
Andrew Newman
Brendon Gari
Timothy Rohyans
Jacob Lewis
Terry Cole, (Cont’d from page 1)
After retiring from the Army in
1977, he served as a
Department of the Army Civilian
Flight Simulator Instructor at Ft.
Bragg, North Carolina.
In 1978, Captain Cole began
flying and instructing for
Offshore Helicopters, which later
became part of Bristow, in
Above left to right: HAI Chairman Mark
Louisiana, Scotland, Egypt,
Gibson presents Terry Cole his award as
Nigeria, Australia and Trinidad.
W.A. (Dub) Blessing and William Force,
He joined Era Helicopters in
former HAI Board Member, look on.
1982, where he has served as
Director of Safety, Director of
Training, and as an Instructor or Check airman on nine different
airframes. He currently instructs in the AgustaWestland AW139, the
Eurocopter EC225, and the Sikorsky S-61 and S-76.
For the past 20 years, Captain Cole has also served as a helicopter FAA
Designated Pilot Examiner. Upon reaching 15,000 consecutive accident
and violation-free flight hours, he received the coveted HAI Pilot Safety
Award.
Few people are more important to aviation safety than the instructors
charged with providing initial and recurrent pilot training. Terry Cole has
been passionate about aviation for more than 50 years. That
commitment is why he has been named the W.A. (Dub) Blessing
Certified Flight Instructor of the Year for 2012.
If you are an avid cyclist and have a passion
for cross-country rides, Era and SEACOR
are teaming with Anadarko for this year’s BP
MS150, a two-day fundraising cycling ride
organized by the National MS Society - Lone
Star chapter, scheduled for April 21-22. If
you are interested in supporting, volunteering
or riding in the event, or would just like more
information, contact Era’s Team Captain - Dave
Marstiller at [email protected] or
John Bambey at [email protected].
This ride is the largest event of its kind in
North America. In 2011, the event raised
more than $16.9 million for multiple sclerosis,
with the SEACOR/Era team raising over
$12,000 themselves. The ride is a 180-mile
ride from Houston to Austin with breakpoints
positioned every 8-15 miles. This year’s ride
begins Saturday morning, April 21, from three
convenient starting points in the Houston area.
Riders follow scenic roads into Bellville for
lunch. Day One ends at the Fayette County
Fairgrounds in La Grange. On Sunday morning
participants continue on one of two routes
leading to Bastrop where lunch will be served.
The final leg of Day Two takes riders into Austin
for exciting Finish Line festivities at the Capital.
Multiple Sclerosis, an unpredictable, often
disabling disease of the central nervous system,
interrupts the flow of information within the brain,
and between the brain and body. MS affects
more than 400,000 people in the U.S. and over
2.1 million worldwide.
Above: Team Era/SEACOR prepares to embark on the first
leg of their ride in the 2011 BP MS150 in Houston, Texas,
last year.
T H E E R A S TA R
March 2012 7
Employee Special Moments
Above: Nate Sheffer, Delegated Inspector,
Lake Charles, and his wife, Sarah, are proud to
announce the birth of their son, Jonah William
Sheffer. Born on January 23, 2012, Jonah arrived
weighing 7 lbs and 2 oz. and measuring 20 inches
long.
Above: Jack R. Domingue, eight-year-old son
of Kelvin Domingue, Repair Station Avionics
Supervisor, Lake Charles, kneels in front of
the Alter at Our Lady of Prompt Succor after
receiving penance from his First Confession.
Above: Amanda Pastran, Communications
Specialist, Lake Charles, and Shawn
Kelcher were married in Las Vegas on
December 10, 2011.
8 T H E E R A S TA R
March 2012
Above: Lisa Martin, Receiving Inspector, Lake
Charles and husband, Richard, are the proud
parents of son, Garrison Allen Martin. Born on
October 5, 2011, Garrison weighed 7 lbs 7 oz.
More Special Moments in
Employees Lives!
Above: Daniel Moses, Field Mechanic, Houma,
and wife, Mandy, welcomed son, Mason Daniel
Moses on July 29, 2011, at 1:42 AM. He
weighed 6 pounds 11 oz. and was 21 inches
long.
Above: Chastity Marks, Reliability Analyst in
Lake Charles, married Michael St. Germain on
January 21, 2012, in a small ceremony in Lake
Charles. Chastity has been an Era employee for
approximately 5 years and has spent the majority
of her time in the Maintenance department.
The happy couple has since found out they are
expecting their first child in October.
Above: Devin Hall, AMT, Fourchon, and wife, Vicky,
welcome grandson, Colton Clarke. Born Friday,
January 13, 2012, at 4:30 PM in St. Petersburg,
Florida, Colton tipped the scales at 7 lbs 9 oz. and was
19.9 inches long. Baby and Grandpa are doing fine!
Above: Captain Keith Lanteigne, Pilot - Boston
Med Flight, and wife, Jennifer, announce the birth
of their son, Samuel Phoenix Lanteigne, born on
February 4, 2012. Sam weighed 8 lbs 9 oz. and
measured 21 inches long.
T H E E R A S TA R
March 2012 9
More Special Moments in
Employees Lives - Part 3!
Above: Josh Keller, Facility Support–Repair
Station, Lake Charles, and wife, Kaity,
announce the birth of their son, Elijah Daniel
Keller, on March 2, 2012. Elijah weighed 9 lbs
7 oz. and was 21 ½ inches long.
Right: Travis J. Lundy, son
of Jim Lundy, AMT – Lake
Charles, graduated from
MCRD, 1st Battalion Alpha
Company Platoon 1005,
in San Diego, California,
on March 9, 2012. Travis
was awarded Company
Honorman, which goes to
the number one recruit in
his company (that started
with over 400 Marines).
Travis also earned
Meritorious Promotion.
After a much deserved 10
day leave, he has orders to
report to Camp Pendelton
for S.O.I.
sident Kirchner Opens Oil Exploration in South AtlanticLef
Above: Kandy Randall, CSR - Houma, welcomed
baby boy, Kyren Elgin Brown, on March 1, 2012.
Kyren entered the world at 9:47 AM at 7 lbs 3 oz.
and measured 19 inches long.
1 0 T H E E R A S TA R M a r c h 2 0 1 2
Above: Keith Covington, Pilot – Fourchon, and
wife, Michele, welcomed their second daughter,
Molly Rae, on, January 16, 2012, at 08:21 AM.
She weighed 7 lbs and was 20 ½ inches long.
Big sister, Kaelyn Abigail, (who is 2 and half) looks
proudly on!
Employee Activities and
Special Moments
Above: Ryann Tadlock, Marketing Manager - Era
Training Center, demonstrates her skills with
power tools while volunteering for the rebuilding of
Millennium Park, a children’s dream playground,
after it was destroyed by arson fire in Lake Charles
last year.
Above: Choppers ‘n’ Copters! An invitation to a
crawfish boil (fine dining in Louisiana!) by a local
company in Lake Charles was all that was needed
for a group of Era motorcycle enthusiasts to put
together an impromptu ride.
Above: For the last year and a half, T.J. Rohyans,
CSR in Houma, has worked as a freelance
photojournalist for Radio Control (R/C) Aeromodeling
magazines. He has provided online images for
Model Airplane News magazine and had three
event articles published in Model Aviation magazine,
including the cover photo for the July 2011 issue
which ran his article about “The Blue Max”, a WWI
R/C Scale competition held at Fantasy of Flight in
Ocala, Florida. His most recent article was published
in the January 2012 issue covering the “9th World Jet
Masters” that was held in August 2011 at the National
Museum of the United States Air Force.
Above: Chris Hutchinson, Pilot - Shriever, and wife,
Gina, announce the birth of daugter, Arlee Peay
Hutchinson. Born on March 11, 2012, at 6:47 PM,
she weighed 6 lbs 1 oz and measured 19 inches.
T H E E R A S TA R M a r c h 2 0 1 2 1 1
More Exceptional People;
Exceptional Performances
On November 2, 2011, Captain David Burr was notified by Boston
Center that an aircraft was approaching his aircraft. The aircraft
was approximately two miles away traveling towards his aircraft
at the same altitude. Within a few seconds Captain Burr saw the
aircraft approaching less than a mile away on a constant bearing and
decreasing range. Captain Burr immediately pulled back the cyclic
and the oncoming aircraft passed beneath his aircraft. Captain Burr’s
quick thinking and outstanding performance under pressure during
this incident demonstrates his professionalism and aviation expertise.
He represents the best of Era Helicopters. His actions are a credit to
himself, and reflect positively on Era Helicopters and its employees.
Above: Terry Umfleet, VP Era Air Medical, presents
Captain David Burr his award.
On October 26, 2011, while waiting for transportation from our Houma
Base, Victor Navarro, a Life Safe Trainer with Anadarko, witnessed a
contract construction crew building a dispatcher station. The crew was
using several power tools which included a nail gun. He observed that
none of the workers were wearing PPE and immediately approached
them to express his concern for their safety. He pointed out that they
had no PPE while using the nail gun and other power tools and even
offered to provide the crew with PPE if it was not readily available
to them. Victor went well above and beyond his normal job duties
to promote safety. We would like to recognize him and show our
appreciation for all of his hard work and dedication to making not only
Anadarko, but also Era Helicopters a safer company.
Above left to right: Ricky Estep - Era Marketing,
Paul White - Era VP GoM, Robert Van de Vuurst Era Group Inc. COO, Victor Nararro - Anadarko, Jim
Shugart - Era VP and Terry Duprie Era Director of
Safety
Captain Mark Peters was transporting a critically ill patient from
Geisinger Medical Center to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on July 22,
2011. Approximately ten minutes after departure at 3500’ MSL, the
BK-117 he was piloting began an uncommanded cyclic climb at a very
rapid rate. Captain Peters was able to regain control of the aircraft
as it approached a 70 degree nose up attitude. His quick reaction
and proper corrective actions allowed him to return the aircraft to a
stabilized flight profile and land the aircraft without further incident.
Captain Peters’ professionalism and dedication to providing safe
transportation to Geisinger Medical Center and their patients was
instrumental in preventing this matter from escalating to a more serious
incident.
Above: Terry Umfleet, VP Era Air Medical,
congratulates Captain Mark Peters, as Jerry Splitt,
Program Director, Geisinger Medical Center, looks on.
1 2 T H E E R A S TA R M a r c h 2 0 1 2
Retirees Club
Kim Regan
Kim Regan, AMT in Alaska, retired on
January 28, 2012. After serving four years
in the U.S. Army as an MP, he attended
A&P School at Colorado Aerotech. Upon
graduation in 1981, Kim began his career
with Era. During his time with our company,
Kim worked at many field bases, both in
Alaska and the Gulf of Mexico. Additionally,
he had the opportunity to work for several
international Era contracts in Russia,
Croatia and China. He spent nearly a year
in 1989 working in Valdez to support the
oil spill cleanup. He was heavily involved
with Flightseeing in Alaska and spent
over 20 seasons working on Era’s various
Flightseeing contracts. Kim has two children
and a new granddaughter, who he plans to
spend time with during his retirement.
Above: Kim Regan hard at
work just before retirement!
Captain Mike Carroll retired on
Captain Mike Carroll
November 17, 2011, after a thirty-five year
career with Era. His aviation career started
in the U.S. Army in 1965 when he flew
two tours in Vietnam. Joining Era in 1976,
Captain Carroll worked
off-shore contracts in Alaska, China,
Norway and the GOM. His work included
mapping the Outer Continental Shelf in the
Beaufort Sea and Arctic. His Era career was
highly diversified, including construction
work stringing cable for ski lifts, pouring
cement, and setting power poles in Alaska,
supporting the Trans-Alaska Pipeline
project, fire support in Alaska, the U.S.
and Greece, and flying the Super Puma in
Puerto Rico restringing power cables after
Hurricane George. He also flew the United
Nations contract out of Zagreb, Croatia. A
company Instructor/Check Airman in the Bell
412/212, AS332L, AW139 and the EC225LP,
Captain Carroll flew over 20,000 accident
and incident free hours. Captain Carroll has
retired in Portland, Oregon, with wife, Mary,
and family.
Above: Mike receives the
“Red Carpet” treatment as
he returns from his final
flight with Era.
T H E E R A S TA R M a r c h 2 0 1 2 1 3
Focus on Employees…our Greatest Asset
Our Company’s success is greatly attributed to the team of exceptional employees that keep it 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 Era. Congratulations to the following employees who celebrated anniversaries between November 1, 2011,
and March 31, 2012. Through an error in the reporting system, Era Air Medical employees were inadvertently missed on recognition
in 2011, so these employees have been included in this edition of the Era Star.
35 Year Anniversary
Eddie Stacy
30 Year Anniversaries
Donald Dauphin
Jack Alexander
James Gilbert
Leonard Hedgecock
Allen Kullman
25 Year Anniversary
John Marden
1 4 T H E E R A S TA R M a r c h 2 0 1 2
James Dickinson
David Petrie
15 Year Anniversaries
Jason Alamond
Randy Orr
William Smith
Focus on Employees…our Greatest Asset (Cont’d)
10 Year Anniversaries
Robert Cooper
Paul Moore
Alan Fouts
Javier Montemayor
William Sneed
Joe Zeller
5 Year Anniversaries
Mark Alumbaugh
Steve Cline
Mark Hardeman
Clint Boswell
Bruce Fairbanks
Anthony Herby
Cavin Carter
Gail Fike
Chad Hine
Gerald Chambers
Steve Gilpin
Norman Kolb
T H E E R A S TA R
March 2012 15
Focus on Employees
5 Year Anniversaries (Continued)
George Kuba
Raynell Lewis-Ogiugo
John Marshall
Joseph Monroe
Livai Ofiu
Mikal Ohnstad
Rhonda Papadimitriou
Collin Pederson
Jimmy Pitts
Bradley Riles
David Russell
Alfred Skiffington
Lee Steadman
Duane Walton
Joe Wentworth
1 6 T H E E R A S TA R M a r c h 2 0 1 2
Mathieu Stecker
Frank Willet
Robert Saltz
Mitch Walker
Gary Witherspoon
Last Flight - Remembering One of Our Own
Captain William (Bill) Zeman passed away on October 29, 2011.
He began his aviation career in the U.S. Army where he flew helicopters
while in Korea and was also an instructor. Upon leaving the Army in 1972,
he was hired by Livingston Copters in Juneau, Alaska. Throughout the years
with Livingston Copters, Bill worked the Trans-Alaska pipeline from start to
completion, and moved men and equipment to mountain tops throughout
the state helping to establish the telecommunication industry of today. Bill
became part of the Era family when Livingston Copters was acquired by Era
Aviation in 1980. During his time with Era, Bill held many positions in the
Juneau and Alaska operations, including the startup and beginning of the
Flightseeing tour operations. His skills, fortitude and knowledge made Bill
one of Alaska’s most asked for utility pilots, where he worked for just about
every contract we have ever had.
Bill and his wife Bonnie remained in Juneau area where they raised their
two sons, Bill Jr. and John. Nearing retirement age but not wanting to stop
flying, Bill requested he become the Alaska fill-in and relief pilot for the Valdez base. This
allowed him the opportunity to spend time with his wife (and for fishing!) in preparation for
retirement.
The loss of Bill has had a major impact on the Alaska operations. Keeping with the
wishes of his wife, Bonnie, and with the way Bill lived his life, there was no formal funeral
but there will be a Celebration of Life this spring in Juneau. It is fitting to close with the
final line from Bill’s obituary in Alaska; “In lieu of flowers, hug a pilot.”
Benefits Update
Don’t forget to take advantage of the wellness resources our new program has to offer. Explore the Blue Cross & Blue
Shield of Texas website at www.bcbstx.com and set up a Blue Access for Members account. Some of the advantages of
this program include:
•
•
•
•
Fitness Programs–-discounted memberships to a network of fitness centers
Tobacco Cessation and Weight Management–-online tools and discounts
Take the Health Risk Assessment and earn Blue Points SM rewards
24/7 Nurse line (1-800-581-0368)
PHARMACY BENEFIT CHANGES
As a reminder, effective October 1, 2011 we implemented the CVS Maintenance Choice program which requires you to
have your maintenance medications filled through the CVS mail order program or if you choose you can pick up your
maintenance medications at a CVS pharmacy. By using the Maintenance Choice program you receive three months of
medication for the price of two. This program is mandatory. To start using the Maintenance Choice program you can log
onto www.caremark.com or call them at 1-800-875-0867.
We also implemented the CVS Step Therapy program effective November 1, 2011. This program requires you to choose
a generic medication before a non-preferred brand drug to help lower your out-of pocket costs on certain brand-name
drugs. If this change affected you, CVS sent both you and your physician a letter in October advising you of this program
and a list of alternative drugs.
If you have any questions about your pharmacy benefits, please contact CVS directly at 1-877-217-1820.
T H E E R A S TA R M a r c h 2 0 1 2 1 7
Andrea Billiot Receives Award
Andrea Billiot has received a Special Recognition Award for her accomplishments in the Supply Department in 2011. Though
her primary role is inventory control and monitoring the transactions that take place, she has an ability to help people and
make them feel comfortable in asking questions.
In 2011, Andrea was tasked with “making” space for Supply’s inventory. Within two months, she redesigned the entire
floor plan of the existing warehouse by adding new shelves (completely mobile for hurricane evac), bins, labels and a
complete Alpha Numeric layout, which resulted in approximately 20% more floor space and a more professional looking
environment. After the main floor was complete, Andrea focused on the second floor layout. Within a few weeks she was
able to reorganize and consolidate our product, allowing the addition of a section to house consumables, thereby eliminating
the outside connex used previously. With the construction of the new Supply Warehouse Building, Andrea developed the
layout now allowing our engine crates, shipping containers and bulk
parts (not requiring climate control) to be stored and secured.
With all the work that was accomplished above, Andre still maintained
her daily job requirements. With the loss of three team members within
the Supply group in 2011, Andrea traveled to the field to cover 7 and
7 hitches in both Houma and Fourchon, traveled to Era Air Medical
bases to help with the merger of our inventory and trained the new
hires on Ramco transactions. Andrea keeps a positive attitude at all
times and always finds the way to make things better. She brings two
things to her position and to Era Helicopters; a high level of work ethic
and integrity. Andrea’s work throughout the year was a significant
driver in the overall success of Era’s Physical Inventory results for
2011.
Above left to right: Gayla Trahan, Eric Price, Andrea Billiot,
Maggie Fruge and David Gorsky at the award presentation.
A leader is a person who looks to make things better without being
asked to do it. That’s exactly what Andrea does; she makes the people
around her better. This makes us a better company.
Flightseeing Prepares for 2012 Season
The 2012 Alaska Flightseeing season will commence during the month of May as travelers from around the world venture
to the 49th state to admire its natural wonders. From Denali and Juneau, guests can embark by an ASTAR 350B2 on a
flight of wonders, and witness the untouched wilderness and pristine glaciers that characterize the ‘Great Land.’ A highlight
of the glacier flight is the opportunity to step foot on a remote Alaskan glacier–-a treat that can only be accomplished by
helicopter!
Guests seeking an even more unique adventure can try their hand at mushing
their own team of Alaskan Huskies across a snow capped glacier on Era
Helicopters ‘Dogsled Adventure’. This trip of a lifetime departs from the
scenic waterfront heliport in Juneau and affords guests the opportunity to
spend one hour at an exclusive camp during this hands on experience. The
popularity and success of this excursion has pulled pitch into a new tour for
2012 - the ‘Dogsled World Experience.’ This extended dogsled experience
has a summer camp atmosphere where guests interact and help prepare their
huskies and sled for a longer five mile trail across the landscape. Stop along
the route and enjoy the scenic vistas while sipping a hot chocolate to further
warm your spirits. Employees of SEACOR and Era Helicopters are invited
to book on-line at www.eraflightseeing.com and Enter: Era EMP Discount of
ID20% in order to receive a 20% employee discount.
1 8 T H E E R A S TA R M a r c h 2 0 1 2
Submitted by Ryann Tadlock, Marketing Manager - Era Training Center
VP | General Manager Announced
We are excited to announce that Randy Rowles has been named VP/General Manager.
Mr. Rowles brings a wealth of experience, most recently employed with Night Flight Concepts
as VP of Business Development & NVG Training Programs. Through his previous employment
at Bell Helicopter, he held the position of Senior Flight Instructor Specialist, conducting VFR,
IFR and NVG training in Bell Helicopter commercial aircraft and was the author of the Bell
Helicopter P3 program. Mr. Rowles founded Palm Beach Helicopters, an FAA Part 141 training
school located in Palm Beach, Florida, after an early beginning in helicopters in the 1980s
washing aircraft in exchange for flight time. His first opportunity in the helicopter industry was in
the field of aerial application.
Mr. Rowles has previously held positions to include Chief Pilot and Check Airman of all flight
operations for a FAA Part 133 & 135 operation in the South Florida area. He has extensive
experience in EMS, Corporate, Utility and Flight Training having accumulated more than 12,500
hours. He was designated as the first Master Certified Flight Instructor (MCFI) for Helicopters in
2010 and was the first MCFI in the State of Texas.
Since 1996, Mr. Rowles has specialized in Foreign Pilot certification issues as a Designated Pilot Examiner in the South
Florida FAA district. Randy has been a presenter with the Helicopter Association International (HAI) Flight Instructor
Refresher Clinic (FIRC) and currently serves as the Assistant Chief Instructor of the FIRC. In addition, he is the former
Chairman of the HAI Flight Training Committee and Board Member for the National EMS Pilots Association (NEMSPA).
Randy currently holds an MBA from Texas Christian University and currently resides in Fort Worth, Texas with his wife of
twenty years and two children. The contact email address for Randy Rowles is [email protected].
AW139 Flight Simulation Training Device
Era Training Center is pleased to announce that its AW139 flight simulation
training device (FSTD) has been FAA-certified as a Level 6 FSTD. This
certification allows Era Helicopters AW139 pilots, as well as third party
AW139 operators, to conduct training in ETC’s device under CFR Part 61 or
train in the FSTD with their own instructors. ETC’s AW139 training program
is currently under FAA review for its Part 142 school and expects to begin
offering AW139 type ratings
in the very near future.
2012 Tradeshows
ETC debuted its new exhibit (shown left) at this year’s HAI Heli-Expo held
in Dallas, Texas, on February 11-13. Upcoming shows include: Airborne
Law Enforcement Association Annual Conference & Exposition (ALEA),
July 11-14, and the Air Medical Transport Conference (AMTC),
October 22-24.
T H E E R A S TA R M a r c h 2 0 1 2 1 9
EraSAR 2011 Results
The success of EraSAR from our two bases
of operation, Galveston, Texas, and Fourchon,
Louisiana, is evident as they finished out the 2011
year with some impressive statistics. The two
AW139 SAR aircraft and their crews responded
to 111 medical missions during the year. Of these
flights, 45% were life critical and 12% required the
use of a hoist. Several vessel hoist extractions
were performed utilizing Night Vessel Extraction
procedures.
EraSAR service is unique in that we are the only
SAR/EMS service that can deliver Advanced Life
Support anywhere (land, water, platform or vessel)
within our service range. Additionally, EraSAR
offers rescue swimmer capability, allowing us to
rescue persons in the water, which is a significant
advantage in the Gulf of Mexico.
Human Resources News
Era Helicopters Human Resources Department, along with Era Travel and Housing, has moved to the new HR building
located at 300 Airport Service Road in Lake Charles. This building is the green building located on the right hand side of
the road just past Christ the King Catholic Church. There are a lot of changes happening within the HR Department and
new, improved programs are being added to ensure that you (our clients) continue to receive the highest level of service
you so rightfully deserve. If you have any questions about any of our programs, please contact any member of your
highly skilled and very talented Human Resources team.
A Human Resources SharePoint
site has been created to provide
our employees a central location
to obtain various HR forms and
documents. The forms and
information available include federal
tax withholding changes for 2012,
payroll information, benefit forms
and provider contact numbers,
upcoming observed holidays,
policies and procedures, W2, direct
deposit and address change forms
just to name a few. The site can be
found at https://wss.seacorholdings.
com/aviation/BU/ERA/HR.
2 0 T H E E R A S TA R M a r c h 2 0 1 2
We are pleased and excited to
announce the resurrection and
distribution of the revised Employee
Referral Bonus program. The
revised program and the criteria
used to determine eligibility can
be found in the Human Resources
section of SharePoint. Please
continue to share the exciting things
that are happening at Era as we
continue to “Live the Era Dream.”
Training modules on Microsoft Office
with tutorials on all their products,
including beginner, intermediate and
advanced lessons in the Microsoft
Office Suite, are now available at no
cost to all SEACOR/Era employees.
We encourage employees to
invest in their personal growth and
development by completing the
course modules offered. Not only
will this enhance personal skill
sets and effectiveness in current
positions, but the courseware will
prepare employees for future career
opportunities within Era.
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 Era.
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]
Upcoming Company Events
“Save the Dates”
2012 Fishing Tournament
The 2012 Fishing Tournament has been
rescheduled for Saturday, May 12. This
year’s tournament features a change of
venue with fishing on the Sabine and/or
Calcasieu Rivers with weigh-in and awards
at Niblett’s Bluff Riverfront Pavilion later that
same day. Contact Kurt Covington at
337-489-6344 for more information.
Employee Health Fair Offers
Wellness Screenings
Under the direction of Christus St. Patrick Hospital, the annual Era
Health Fair was held on Friday, November 18, at Era Transport Center
in Lake Charles. Offering wellness screenings and health information
to employees, services offered included screenings for blood pressure,
flu shots and lab studies which provided total cholesterol (HDL &
LDL), triglycerides, glucose (blood sugar), PSA for men and thyroid for
women. After the lab studies were prepared, participating employees
were offered an appointment with a hospital nurse to review results.
Additionally, employees were able to have basic vision checked by
the Eye Clinic and have a chiropractic spinal assessment and chair
massage by Recovery Physical Medicine. On-site health education
services were provided by a large variety of organizations and included
information on behavioral health, cancer prevention, knowing and
understanding cardiac numbers, diabetes, heartburn, sleep disorder,
women’s health, wound care and fitness education. All participants in
the Health Fair were eligible for door prizes at the end of the day.
2012 Company Picnic
Saturday, June 23, has been reserved for the
Era Company Picnic at Prien Lake Park in
Lake Charles. Lots of food and fun events for
Era employees and their immediate families
will be the focus of the day.
2012 Annual Golf Tournament
This year’s company golf tournament has
been scheduled for Saturday, September 22,
at Gray Plantation in Lake Charles.
2012 Era Christmas Party
Era will host their Annual Christmas Party in
Lake Charles on Saturday, December 8, at
L’auberge Hotel and Casino. Any employee
who lives or is in the Lake Charles area
during this period, can attend.
Employees will receive more information on
events at a later date.
Above: Employees sign in and wait their
turn for flu shots, blood pressure checks
and lab work.
Right: Roxanne Leger, Accounts
Receivable - Lake Charles, is
dressed for the rare cold weather
experienced in that area.
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