Era Star Newsletter October 2012

T H E
OC TOBER 2012 EDITION
A NEW ERA IN
AV I AT I O N
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Inside
Above: The carts are ready to roll for the shotgun start at 8 a.m. at Gray Plantation. Photo
provided by Lee Ann Biswell, volunteer and wife of John Biswell, AMT–Era Training Center.
2012 Era & Friends Golf Tournament
Raises $7,240 for Operation Homefront
A
s a result of Era’s on-going
commitment to being a
good Corporate Citizen,
this year’s Era & Friends
Golf Tournament was
turned into a benefit tournament for
Operation Homefront. Eighteen teams
turned out on Saturday, September 22,
for the tournament held at Gray
Plantation in Lake Charles. Although
the competition was intense, teams
had fun with the various fundraising
activities including “Lob a Grenade,”
Beat the Pro and mulligans.
Why was Operation Homefront chosen
as the recipient? The statistics are
staggering. Hundreds of thousands of
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
military families feel the effects of war:
post-traumatic stress; traumatic brain
Injury; bodily injuries and death; and
financial and emotional struggles.
Operation Homefront is available to
help. Their mission is to assist
American military service members
and their families when they have
needs associated with financial
hardships that arise as a result of their
military service. But they can’t do it
alone. They depend on financial
support in order to make all the
difference for these heroes who serve
our country.
9
Spotlight on a Veteran
Features Captain Bill Croucher
10
Era Provides V Formation
Flyover for McNeese State
Football Game
(See Golf Tournament page 5 )
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
A Message from our CEO
At the outset, let me apologize for the delay in the delivery in the Era Star, as I had wanted to wait until a few important
announcements had been made before I included my letter. We have had a number of very transformative events in the
past few months, and I’d like to recount them with you, and talk a little about what they mean for the future.
First of all, I wanted to commend everyone in the Era family on their incredible response to Hurricane Isaac. The rapid
response of everyone involved with clockwork precision led to our ability to have our people and our assets escape
serious damage, and then return to work immediately. This is particularly impressive when you consider how the storm
kept
us all guessing with its unexpected drift westward, causing us to have to make adjustments on the fly. As a result, our
ability to service our clients immediately before and after the storm without a moment lost led to a tremendous amount of
work for us, and again demonstrated to our clients that we can deliver first-rate service in any conditions. Once again, a
big thank-you and congratulations to all on a job well done.
Next, I wanted to thank all of our golf committee members who put in so much time and effort to deliver a very successful
golf
tournament last month: Melanie Landry, John Biswell, Renee Hantz, Roxanne Leger, Rebecca Melancon, Mona
Morris, Anna Odom, Dixon Quinn and Brandy Roy Brown. I am happy to say that I made my own contribution through
providing some comedic relief with my golf game (to substitute for Stu Stavley, as he could not attend!) I’d also like to
thank Randy Chaumont of Anadarko, and Jamie Jones, who both came out to volunteer on the day of the tournament.
Certainly the biggest news for the Era family is the announcement that we have begun the process by which Era will “spin
off” from SEACOR, and become its own, free-standing, publicly-traded company. As the longest operating helicopter
company in the U.S., dating back to its founding in 1948, Era had been a privately-owned company until its acquisition by
Rowan Companies in 1967. SEACOR then purchased Era from Rowan nearly 40 years later in 2004. Now, over 60 years
after its original creation, we now look forward to the future as our own, standalone public company, and are excited about
the tremendous potential opportunities that this spin-off will enable us to pursue. This is truly the next great step in Era’s
long and storied history.
As part of the spin-off, we will be saying farewell and thank you to Dick Fagerstal, who had been “on loan” to us from
SEACOR as our Chief Financial Officer. He will be going back to SEACOR full time, and I sincerely thank him for all of his
help. Consequently, I was happy to announce recently that Chris Bradshaw has joined the Era team as Executive Vice
President and Chief Financial Officer. Chris joins us from U.S. Capital Advisors LLC, a financial advisory firm where he
served as Managing Partner and Chief Financial Officer.
Chris joins Era after a 13-year career in the financial services industry. Prior to co-founding U.S. Capital Advisors, he
worked in the energy investment banking groups at UBS Investment Bank, Morgan Stanley and PaineWebber & Co.
During his investment banking tenure, Chris advised a broad range of energy clients in numerous strategic, debt and
equity transactions. Chris grew up in Houston, and graduated from Dartmouth College with a bachelor’s degree in
Economics and Government. I am happy to say that I introduced him to his wife, Kristy. He is also a Longhorn fan, so I
would respectfully ask that no one bring up this year’s disaster against Oklahoma…
Having previously worked for nearly a decade with Chris, I have firsthand knowledge of his strong capabilities as well
as his integrity. I am confident that his broad experience drawn from serving as Chief Financial Officer of U.S. Capital
Advisors, as well as from banking, will serve Era well. Chris was always rated very highly by everyone he worked with
during our 10 years together as being very easy to work with and an excellent mentor. Simply put, he will be a great fit
with our team, which is extremely important.
In order to improve our efficiency and execution of our growth plan, I am also greatly pleased to announce that we have
formed our Senior Management Team through several appointments to the office of Senior Vice President: Anna Goss
has been appointed Senior Vice President - Finance and Chief Accounting Officer; Stuart Stavley has been appointed
Senior Vice President - Fleet Management; Robert Reguero has been appointed Senior Vice President - International;
and Paul White has been appointed Senior Vice President - Domestic.
(See A Message from our CEO page 3)
2 T H E E R A S TA R
October 2012
Flying is our passion, SAFETY is our mission
A Message from our CEO
(continued from page 2)
I am also pleased to announce that we have just hired Dr. Steven C.
McNeely as our new Director of Safety and Quality Assurance (as noted in
more detail later in this issue). This is a very critical position for Era, and
as such, I wanted to extend a special thanks to Brandi Roy Brown for the
tremendous work and dedication she has provided as the Interim Director
of Safety. Her work was evident and recognized by some of our most
important clients, and for that I wanted to commend Brandi, and we look
forward to her continued work with Dr. McNeely going forward as one of
the strongest safety teams in our business.
With Chris and Steven joining us, I look forward to this Senior
Management Team helping us guide and execute our vision for Era’s
growth. Soon—hopefully by the end of this year—the spin-off will be
effective, and we will enter 2013—the 65th year of Era’s existence—as
our own company. With your commitment, we all have good cause to be
excited about Era’s future!
Sten Gustafson
Chief Executive Officer—Era Group Inc.
Era Group’s Senior Management Team
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:
Sten Gustafson
CEO
Chris Bradshaw
Executive VP–CFO
Anna Goss
Senior VP–Finance
and Chief Accounting
Officer
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Robert Reguero
Senior VP–International
Stuart Stavley
Senior VP–Fleet
Management
Flying is our passion, SAFETY is our mission
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
Paul White
Senior VP–Domestic
T H E E R A S TA R O c t o b e r 2 0 1 2 3
Era Announces New Director of Safety and
Quality Assurance
Era is proud to announce the addition of Dr. Steven C. McNeely as Era Helicopters’ new
Director of Safety and Quality Assurance, effective November 5, 2012. Dr. McNeely joins Era
with over thirty-six years’ experience in aviation.
Previously, Dr. McNeely held the positions of Manager of Safety Management Systems for
Jet Solutions, L.L.C., and Manager of Safety for Jet Domain, LLC. Dr. McNeely is an adjunct
assistant professor for Embry Riddle Aeronautical University providing instruction in the
graduate and undergraduate business, safety, and aeronautical sciences. He is Chairman
of the National Aviation Transportation Association’s Safety and Security Committee and is
on the Industry Audit Working Group with the Air Charter Safety Foundation. Dr. McNeely
participated as a member on the Operations and Training FAA Safety Management System
(SMS) Aviation Rule Making Committee (ARC). He is the author of the book, Aviation Internal
Evaluation Programs, published in 2005. His previous positions include Conformity Inspector
and Maintenance Analyst. His military career covered twenty-two years in the United States Air Force, and four years in
the United States Navy prior to joining the civil sector in 1998. Dr. McNeely has held positions as a manager of a heavy
maintenance facility, flightline maintenance superintendent, quality assurance, maintenance standardization evaluation
team member, supervisor of repair shops, and as an aircraft mechanic.
Dr. McNeely earned a Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration, Aviation Business Management from the School
of Business Technology and Management, Northcentral University, and a Master of Business Administration in Aviation,
from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. He also holds B.S. and A.S. degrees in Professional Aeronautics, as well as
an A.A.S. in Aircraft Aerospace Accessory Systems Technology, with minors in Aviation Safety and Aircraft Maintenance
Management. He is an FAA certified Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic, with an Inspection Authorization, Certified ISBAO auditor, and a Certified Quality Auditor. Dr. McNeely is a member of the System Safety Society and the American
Society for Quality.
American Cancer Society Receives Assistance from Era Employees for
Annual Gala
Sometimes even the best laid plans run into problems.
This was the case for the American Cancer Society (ACS)
as it prepared for its annual Candles and Cocktails Gala
fundraiser on August 11. With a theme of “Less Cancer,
More Birthdays,” ACS needed a large wooden three-tier
faux birthday cake constructed where votive candles would
be placed. These candles would be lit by cancer survivors
at the Gala as a celebration of life. Unfortunately, just
two days prior to the actual event, the American Cancer
Society found itself without a cake. Ashlee Devillier—Base
Housing Analyst, Lake Charles, and local ACS volunteer,
approached Era for assistance. Without hesitation, Troy
DeRouen and David Dimas–Facility Maintenance, jumped
in and constructed the necessary prop cake. The Gala was
a huge success with over $25,000 raised for the American
Cancer Society.
4 T H E E R A S TA R O c t o b e r 2 0 1 2
Above: David Dimas and Troy
DeRouen show the “cake” prior
to decoration (left).
Flying is our passion, SAFETY is our mission
Golf Tournament (Continued from page 1)
Since 2002, Operation Homefront has met the needs of
more than 400,000 families and personnel nationwide and
invested $128 million of funding in programs to support
them. Much like the military, they have a “no man left behind”
attitude to help every possible family and wounded warrior
who sacrifices so much for the freedoms we enjoy. When
they can’t fill a need, they help families access other
organizations that can help.
This success of this year’s tournament is due, in no small
part, to the hard work of the Golf Committee. John Biswell,
Renee Hantz, Roxanne Leger, Michelle Manuel, Rebecca
Melancon, Mona Morris, Anna Odom, Dixie Quinn and
Brandy Roy Brown who all worked tirelessly before, during
and after the tournament. Many of them had family members
who volunteered, as well. Thank you to all participants,
volunteers and sponsors!
Operation Homefront was chosen as they have received a
4-star rating from Charity Navigator, and an “A” rating from
the American Institute of Philanthropy. In addition, they are
registered with the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving
Alliance.
This year’s tournament was an overwhelming success with
$7,240 raised for Operation Homefront. Thanks to our major
sponsors Sikorsky, American Eurocopter, Bell Helicopter,
AgustaWestland and Macro Oil, as well as the additional
thirty-five companies that purchased Hole Sponsor signs,
Era was able to designate the funds to Operation Homefront.
The winning team of this year’s tournament was the team of
Lex Martin, David Horton, Mike Heinen and Chris Gentry
with a net score of 50. Additional winners were: Quitman
Moon, Closest to pin, Hole 6; Ricky Estep, Closest to pin,
Hole 8; Sutton Farmer, Longest Drive, Hole 10; Bob Hall.
Closest to pin, Hole 13; Greg Morgan, Closest to pin, Hole
17; and Tim Goehring, Most Accurate Drive, Hole 18.
Above left to right: Chad Robinson, Joe Roach and John
Biswell study teammate Chuck Carino’s putt on Hole 8.
Era Employees Raise $3,605
for Shriners Hospitals for
Children - Galveston
Above left to right: Rebecca Melancon, Ashlee Devillier and Rhonda
Papadimitriou present a check to Magen Cherry of Shriner’s Hospital.
Flying is our passion, SAFETY is our mission
Era picnic committee members, Rebecca
Melancon, Ashlee Devillier and Rhonda
Papadimitriou, present a check for $3,605 to
Magen Cherry of Shriners Hospitals for
Children - Galveston. As part of Era’s company
picnic held in Lake Charles in June, two raffles
were held; one for a Kawasaki Brute Force 300
ATV donated by Metro Aviation, and the other
for a Schlitterbahn weekend package, complete
with a full day for two at Schlitterbahn-Galveston
donated by Schlitterbahn and a hotel night in
Galveston, donated by Era. The raffle was open
to Era employees only, with all proceeds donated
to the Shriners Childrens Hospital. Era picnic
committee members Pat White, Jennifer Calvo,
Rhonda Papadimitriou, Dana Mack, Rebecca
Melancon, Anna Odom, Ashlee Devillier and
Rachel Robbins worked diligently selling raffle
tickets, with Rebecca Melancon capturing the
honor of most tickets sold. Dave Marstiller,
International Controller – Houston, graciously took
on the task of selling tickets to employees in the
Houston office. Thank you to all employees for
your support in this cause.
T H E E R A S TA R O c t o b e r 2 0 1 2 5
Exceptional People; Exceptional Performances
The people here represent the best of Era Helicopters and we would like to recognize them and show our
appreciation for all their hard work and dedication.
While performing a routine inspection of the fire bottles on N603PW,
Dennis Hartwell–AMT, Lake Charles, noticed that the #1 connector
had discoloration on the foil in the base of the connector. Upon
inspection of the #2 connector, Mr. Hartwell found that the connector
had a bent pin and was unable to secure properly. The foil was
removed from the #1 connector and the pin was replaced on the #2
connector, returning the fire bottles to a serviceable condition. Both
of these minor details rendered the fire bottles useless and could
have led to a disastrous outcome in an emergency situation. Dennis
Hartwell’s attention to detail and keen awareness to the problem
prevented a potentially catastrophic incident.
Above: John Wyatt--Repair Station Manager,
Dennis Hartwell and Paul White--Senior VPDomestic at award presentation.
On July 22, 2012, Matthew Russell–Tour and Ramp Host in Denali,
notified Operations that a non-Flightseeing Era helicopter had landed in
an area that was contrary to the scheduled flight plan. The helicopter
departed Denali earlier en route to Bettles, Alaska, for a job that
was scheduled to begin on Monday morning. While Mr. Russell was
monitoring the flightseeing helicopters on Sky Connect, he noted that
Sky Connect was showing N191EH stationary outside of the Healy
Airport, located twelve miles to the north. Mr. Russell placed calls to his
supervisor, Anchorage Ops and Lake Charles Ops notifying them that
the helicopter possibly had issues. After a short period of time, the pilot
was reached in-flight by satellite phone and the ERP was cancelled.
Matt Russell’s situational awareness and knowledge of the ERP is a
great reflection on him and Era’s safety culture.
Above: Matt Russell proudly shows his award.
While performing his normal job duties, Josh Keller–Facility Support,
Lake Charles, noticed the smell of burning rubber in the North
Hangar. He also noticed that smoke was coming from a ceiling reel
extension cord near a fan. When he investigated further, he found
out that the cord was actually melting while plugged into the fan.
Josh immediately disconnected the fan from the extension cord by
kicking them apart. Due to his quick thinking he saved the equipment
and prevented a fire from forming. By reacting so quickly, he not
only saved Era Helicopters from an event that could have been
catastrophic, he also protected his fellow employees from possible
injury.
Above: John Wyatt--Repair Station Manager, Josh
Keller and Paul White--Senior VP-Domestic at
award presentation.
6 T H E E R A S TA R O c t o b e r 2 0 1 2
Flying is our passion, SAFETY is our mission
Exceptional People; Exceptional Performances
After initiating startup and passenger loading of N403CB in Houma
on August 14, 2012, the aircraft was following a hot refueling
procedure. With the procedure requiring the pilots to remain in
their seats, Greg Babin—Base Support, Houma, was conducting a
visual inspection of the aircraft in order to identify any discrepancies
that may be present prior to departure. He immediately noticed the
aircraft’s ELT (Emergency Locator Transmitter) unit, which is crucial
in locating an aircraft in the event of a crash, had dislocated from the
aircraft and was lying on the ground. Greg’s awareness and attention
to details ensured the aircraft’s emergency systems were secured
prior to departure.
Above: Greg Babin accepts his award from Frank
Gayle--Chief Pilot.
Submitted by Ryann Tadlock—ETC Marketing Manager
Era Training Center is always diligently working to expand its training capabilities to ensure all Era’s employees, as well
as third-party customers, receive the highest quality training in the industry. It has been one busy summer to say the least.
Check out our latest approvals and course offerings below.
AW139 TRAINING PROGRAM RECEIVES PART 142 APPROVAL
ETC is excited to announce that it has obtained FAR Part 142 approval for its AW139 training program. This approval
allows ETC to issue pilot certificates upon successful completion of ground academics, flight training in the Flight
Simulator Training Device (FSTD) and aircraft evaluation to include: ATP and type rating, ATP add-on rating, a type rating
only, and/or recurrent training.
ANAC APPROVAL
ETC was also just recently approved by Agência Nacional de Aviação (ANAC), the aviation authority of Brazil, for the
renewal of its Part 142 certificate as an authorized ANAC training facility. ANAC also approved and qualified ETC’s EC135
CPDS P2+ and AW139 Level 6 Flight Simulator Training Devices (FSTDs).
INSPECTION AUTHORIZATION (IA) REFRESHER SEMINAR
ETC is now offering IA Refresher training to both Era Helicopters technicians, as well as the general
public, on the 3rd Saturday of each month. The course is FAA-approved for IA renewal (FAA
approval number C-IND-IM-120514-K-006-001) and consists of the following subjects:
•
•
•
Human Factors
Maintenance FAR’s
Aircraft Inspections
2012 Available Dates: November 17 and December 15. To schedule a course, please contact Jennifer Calvo, Training
Coordinator, at jcalvo@eratrainingcenter.com or 337-656-4110.
Flying is our passion, SAFETY is our mission
T H E E R A S TA R
October 2012 7
a SEACOR company
Era Flightseeing Featured
in Alaska Magazine
Era Flightseeing received some excellent coverage in
the September 2012 issue of Alaska Magazine. In an
article titled “Denali Tours, Life-changing adventures
abound”, Era is prominently displayed with the cover
photo for the story and specifically discussed within the
“Denali Heli-Hiking with Era Helicopters” section within
the article.
Alaska Magazine can be found on-line at
http://www.alaskamagazine.com. The September issue
is not currently loaded under Magazine Archives, but
should be available in the near future. The article can
be found on page 54.
Above: Hikers watch as their Era helicopter leaves them
to the wilds of the tundra. Photo compliments of Michael
Dinneen, Alaska Magazine.
2nd Quarter Safety Concern/Suggestion Winners Announced
Congratulations to all of the winners below for their
submission of a quality concern or suggestion on how to
make Era a safer place to work. Thanks to all of you who
submitted quality concerns and suggestions, you are truly
helping to make our Company safer.
Safety Concern/Suggestion Report $500 Winners for the
second quarter of 2012:
Garland Sullivan–IFR Captain, Abbeville, LA
Andrew “DJ” Cognevich–Base Manager, Houma, LA
Joseph Heaslet–VFR Captain, Fourchon, LA
Mark Abshire–Vendor Owned Cores Administrator,
Lake Charles, LA
Cody Porche–International CSR, Lake Charles, LA
Jean-Pierre Inderkummen–Senior IFR Check Airmen,
Lake Charles, LA
William Carter–IFR Captain, Fourchon, LA
Jennifer Dine–Buyer, Lake Charles, LA
Michael Dupuis–Warranty Administrator, Lake Charles, LA
William Wigfield–IFR Captain, Galveston, TX
Above left to right: Shown receiving their award from
Brandi Roy Brown (center) are Mark Abshire, Michael
Dupuis, Jennifer Dine and Cody Porche.
In addition, all Air Medical personnel and the FBO in Alaska received the Era Safety Bonus for the second quarter of
2012. You worked safely and did not have a disqualifying event; congratulations for a job well done.
Please remember to keep safety in the forefront of what you do and how you operate. Nothing that we do is so critical
that you should take short cuts and risk the safety of our personnel and passengers. In fact, just the opposite; Era
management wants you to take the time that it takes to perform the task in a safe and professional manner.
8 T H E E R A S TA R O c t o b e r 2 0 1 2
Flying is our passion, SAFETY is our mission
Spotlight on a Veteran
Thanks to the suggestion of Randy Zahn–IFR
Captain, Anchorage, Alaska, we will be adding a
new article in this, and all future editions of the
Era Star. “Spotlight on a Veteran” will feature an
Era employee who has served in the U.S. military.
We will attempt to cover employees from various
departments, bases and military branches. Our
first featured vet is Captain Bill Croucher, who
served as lead for the McNeese State University
Captain William (Bill) Croucher began his
flying career in 1966 in the U.S. Army. His flight
training took place at Fort Wolters, Texas, and
Fort Rucker, Alabama. After graduating from
Army flight school, Captain Croucher was sent
to Vietnam where he was assigned to the 116th
Assault Helicopter Company (the Hornets) located
in Cu Chi. This area was commonly known
as the Iron Triangle. While serving in Vietnam, he was
awarded two Distinguished Flying Crosses, a Bronze Star,
the Purple Heart, Air Medal with V for Valor, twenty-three
additional Air Medals, Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with
Palm, and numerous campaign medals. His unit was also
awarded the Meritorious Unit Citation and the Presidential
Unit Citation. Upon his return to the United States, he was
assigned as an Advanced Instrument Instructor at Fort
Rucker.
After completing his tour of duty with the Army in 1969,
Captain Croucher went to work flying for Petroleum
Helicopters in Lafayette, Louisiana. While visiting his
parents in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, he was introduced
to several police officers and was so impressed by the
Department that he applied and was accepted in 1970
into the Fort Lauderdale City Police Department. He was
instrumental in helping to form an aviation unit for the
city utilizing two Cessna 150’s. Two years later, the unit
graduated to two Cessna 172’s, and the following year
the Civil Defense granted the city three Bell 47’s (TH13T)
model helicopters from Davis Mothen Air Force Base in
Flying is our passion, SAFETY is our mission
Arizona. By the next year, with the help of four other police
pilots and two mechanics, the helicopters were certified for
flight by the FAA.
After achieving this milestone, Captain Croucher decided
to take a break and do something else he loved. He joined
the Motorcycle Unit and was assigned to patrol the Fort
Lauderdale Beach. His love of helicopters couldn’t be
held back though, and in 1978 he returned to the Gulf
Coast and went to work for Sabine Offshore Helicopters
in Sabine Pass, Texas. After Sabine was purchased by
Bristow Helicopters, he decided to move on and joined Era
Helicopters in 1980. Captain Croucher has served at all
of Era’s bases, including duties as Base Manager at six of
those bases. He also served as Operations Supervisor for
seven years, and received the HAI Safety Award for 5000,
10,000 and 15,000 accident-free flight hours. He has the
honor of being Era’s first Pilot of the Quarter, and the only
pilot to be named Pilot of The Year twice. He currently flies
the S76 out of Lake Charles, Louisiana. He has amassed
more than 19,000 hours in helicopters and 4,000 hours in
airplanes during his flying career.
Inserts: “Then” and “Now”
photos.
T H E E R A S TA R
October 2012 9
Era Provides “V” Formation Flyover
for Opening McNeese State
University Football Game
At the first home football game for McNeese State University located in Lake Charles, Louisiana, Era provided additional
opening ceremony excitement. The crowd went wild when an Era AW139 flanked by two Era S76’s flew over the stadium
in a “V” formation just as the band finished playing the national anthem.
Mark Your Calendar
Date Set for
2013 MS150
Above left to right: Captains Noah Cowen, William Croucher, Shawn
Padgett, Mark Hitchcock, Mark Young and Fred Defibaugh, who
crewed the aircraft used for the McNeese State fly-over, display their
school spirit prior to the flight.
Calling all bicycle riders–mark your
calendars; registration for the 2013
MS150 ride from Houston to Austin
benefitting Multiple Sclerosis will take
place on April 20-21, 2013.
Open registration began on October 11,
2012.
If you have any questions, please
contact Dave Marstiller at
dmarstiller@erahelicopters.com or
John Bambey at
jbambey@erahelicopters.com .
1 0 T H E E R A S TA R O c t o b e r 2 0 1 2
Flying is our passion, SAFETY is our mission
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Flying is our passion, SAFETY is our mission
T H E E R A S TA R O c t o b e r 2 0 1 2 1 1
Employee Special Moments
Above: Dana Raaz–former VP-Director of Operations,
and wife, Joan, are shown with daughter, Kelly, who
recently graduated from the University of Louisiana at
Lafayette with a Bachelor of Science degree in Public
Relations.
Above: Robert Van de Vuurst–former President, Era
Helicopters, proudly holds his first grandson, Caden
Gregory White, who was born August 29, 2012.
Caden weighed 8 lbs 14 oz and measured 21 inches.
1 2 T H E E R A S TA R
October 2012
Above: Lois Fontenot–Era Training Center, Lake
Charles, and Mark Fontentot–AMT, Abbeville,
welcome newest grandson, Imrye Jace Chaisson,
born on June 25, 2012. Imrye weighed 7 lbs 7 oz
and measured 20¼ inches long.
Above: Jason Glynn–Assistant Chief Pilot, Lake
Charles, and wife, Torie, welcomed son, Liam
Alexander Glynn, on August 26, 2012. Liam
weighed 5 lbs 8 oz and was 19 ¼ inches long.
Flying is our passion, SAFETY is our mission
More Special Moments
in Employees Lives!
Left: Meet “Chopper,”
Era’s newest seasonal
pilot located in Lake
Charles! Chopper
will only be around
for the fall season,
but he has certainly
brightened the lives
of all who have met
him. If you would like
to meet Chopper, drop
by the office of Julie
Custer–Travel and
Housing Administrative
Assistant. She is
the multi-talented
individual who created
him!
Above: Stephen E. Smeltzer, son of
Steve Smeltzer–Director of Operations,
and wife, Holly, completed U.S. Navy
basic training at Recruit Training
Command, Great Lakes, Illinois, on
July 13, 2012. During the eight week
program, Stephen completed a variety
of training which included classroom
study and practical instruction on naval
customs, first aid, firefighting, water
safety and survival, and shipboard and
aircraft safety. An emphasis was also
placed on physical fitness in preparation
for follow-on training in Coronado,
California, to become a SEAL.
Above: Mike Duhon--Night Logistics Coordinator,
Lake Charles, is the proud grandfather of Aubree
Marie Duhon. Born on October 18, 2012, Aubree
weighed 7 lbs 7 oz. She is the daughter of Matt
and Cassandra Duhon of Grand Lake, Louisiana.
She joins Mike’s other grandchildren, Ashley, Jada,
Jordan and Ty Duhon.
Flying is our passion, SAFETY is our mission
T H E E R A S TA R
October 2012 13
Last Flight - Remembering One of Our Own
Michelle Kilchrist Manuel passed away on October 1, 2012. Michelle
began her career at Era in 1997 when she was hired as a part-time secretary
for the Safety department, but she eventually found her way to Supply, Records,
and maybe even a few other departments in between. While working for
Era, she attended McNeese State University where she graduated in 2001
with a degree in Social Sciences. Consistent with her fast-pace and neverceasing personality, Michelle welcomed her son, Ethan, into the world in April
2002. Ethan, commonly referred to as “Bubble” or “Lil Man” by Michelle, he
was her whole world and everyone knew it. On any given afternoon, you may
have found Michelle and Ethan dancing in their kitchen, making a movie with
Ethan’s action figures, or making a trip to Game Stop for the latest video game.
There was nothing she would not do for her little boy or any of her loved ones.
Michelle and Ethan enjoyed visiting with her sister, Kim, and her family in Dallas.
Michelle’s passion for cooking also made the trip to Dallas. She took such pride
in cooking gumbos and jambalayas for those Texans!
After a brief departure from the company, Michelle returned to Era in 2008, but this time in the Human Resources
department. In this new role, Michelle was able to transform her passion for Era into a passion for the people of Era. The
HR department will never be the same without her infectious laughter, her rapid words, and her determined, purposeful
footsteps down the hall. May none of us forget, but always remember Michelle and the panache she brought to the Era
family.
Lawn Mower Safety
Submitted by Lyle Van Horn—HSE Coordinator
esident Kirchner
Oilwinding
Exploration
Souththat
AtlanticLe
Even withOpens
summer
down, itinseems
we spend more time mowing our lawns than we do just about anything else.
Due to the frequency and repetition of our weekly yard duties, we often become complacent towards the hazards involved
with them. In April 2012, a Lake Charles family experienced an unimaginable tragedy when their seven year old daughter
was killed by a projectile thrown from a lawn mower operated by her grandfather. Below are the four most common ways
people are injured by lawn mowers:
Four Types of Power Lawn Mower Accidents That
Cause the Majority of Injuries
1. Contact with rotating blade - Injury often occurs
when the victim cleans the discharge chute of grass
clippings or performs other maintenance while the
engine is running.
2. Propelled objects - Rocks, glass and wire are hurled
at initial speeds above 170 miles per hour. Objects
may be thrown 50 feet or more, causing death and
injuries ranging from blindness to severe bruising.
3. Overturning - This occurs primarily when riding
mowers are used on steep slopes or embankments.
Victims may be pinned under the mower or come in
contact with the blade.
Aria Morton (Melbourne, Australia) injured after a piece of bark
4. Riding mowers running over the victim - Accidents
thrown by her father’s lawn mower struck her in the eye.
occur when the operator fails to look while operating
a riding mower in reverse. Playing children are often
seriously injured or killed due to the mower’s operator failing to look before backing up. Another common injury
happens when an operator pulls a power mower backward over his or her foot.
1 4 T H E E R A S TA R O c t o b e r 2 0 1 2
Flying is our passion, SAFETY is our mission
How to Submit Ramco Occurrence Reports
Submtted by Brandi Roy Brown—Interim Director of Safety
It has been over a year since we began using Ramco to document our safety issues. Overall the transition has been
smooth and we have received a lot of great suggestions to improve Era. I would like to thank each one of you for taking
the time to submit occurrence reports. Remember that Era has a Just, Learning and Reporting Culture that we take
very seriously. Any incident that occurs is reviewed against the Just Culture Diagram (see table below) and actions are
determined based on that diagram (Just Culture). It is company policy that all incidents, accidents, and near misses
must be reported via the Safety Reporting System (Reporting Culture). Once the report is submitted the incident will be
reviewed against the Just Culture Diagram. We know people make mistakes, we’re all human. We don’t want to punish
:
08/31/12
Eraadmitting
Helicopters
anyone for
theyLLC
made a mistake (as long as the act was NOT negligent) because moreDATE
likely
than
not if you
P
AGE:
SMS
G-1
Safety
Management
System
made the mistake another person in the same position/situation could make the same mistake. When you report
via the
REVISION:
Original
Safety Reporting System we use these incidents to improve our safety procedures and policies to ensure that we are
providing our employees with the safest possible work environment (Learning Culture).
Appendix G- Just Culture Diagram
Start
No*
Knowingly violated
procedures?
Was the job understood?
No
Were the results as
intended?
No
Are the procedures
clear?
No*
No
Yes*
Defective training or
selection experience?
Yes
Yes
History of violating
procedures?
Pass substitution test?
Yes
Yes
Was the action as
intended?
Yes*
No*
No Blame Error
Yes*
No
No
Reckless Violation
Repeated Incident With
Similar Root Cause
Negligent Error
Yes
Sabotage or Malevolent
Act
lpa
l Cu
ing
ish
ility
lpab
Cu
ual
ivid
Ind
sing
a
e
r
Inc
Final warning and
negative performance
appraisal
Severe Sanctions
/
in
Dim
ua
ivid
bili
ty
In d
First written warning;
Coaching / Increased
Supervision until behavior
is corrected.
Documented for the
purpose of accident
prevention awareness
and training will
suffice.
* Indicates a ‘System’ induced error. Manager/supervisor must evaluate what part of the system failed and what
corrective and preventative action is required. Corrective and preventative action shall be documented for
management review.
On another note, Ramco Safety Reports that are submitted via the Concern occurrence type (see picture below) are
anonymous to everyone except for the Safety Department. All other reports, even if Suggestion is the incident type
selected, will display the submitters name in the report. As a department, I can guarantee that our top priority where
concern reports are involved is to keep the individual’s anonymity. If you have any problems or concerns when submitting
a Ramco Safety Occurrence, please contact a member of the Safety Department.
Flying is our passion, SAFETY is our mission
T H E E R A S TA R O c t o b e r 2 0 1 2 1 5
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 July 1, 2012, and
October 31, 2012.
35 Year Anniversary
Terry Cole
25 Year Anniversaries
Cullen Baker
Lance Weir
Garrett Rozas
15 Year Anniversary
20 Year Anniversary
James Fendelander
Matt Deloia
10 Year Anniversaries
Randy Dardar
1 6 T H E E R A S TA R O c t o b e r 2 0 1 2
Karl Hatlemark
Julie Porche
Paul White
Flying is our passion, SAFETY is our mission
5 Year Anniversaries
Marcus Alford
Sean Bledsoe
Jimmy Davis Jr.
Craig Hilton
Steven Kaurich
Stephen McDaniel
Matthew Boffin
Lauren Huff
Velia Monteaux
Shane Moseley
Chris Buchanan
Chris Christy
Billy Hynum
Carlos Juarez
Rachel Robbins
T.J. Rohyans
Career Day Treat for Students
Submitted by Len Durr
Assistant Director of Operations–Oil and Gas
On Monday, July 16, 2012, Era participated in a
summer career day for elementary and middle school
children in Moss Bluff, Louisiana. The children, who
ranged from Kindergarten to 6th grade, were treated
to a fly-in by one of Era’s A-Stars piloted by Captain
Robert Low. Captain Low explained his career as
a pilot and Era’s role in the industry, as well as our
community involvement. The children responded with
many questions about Era, aviation, helicopters and
the favorite….how to become a pilot. The children
were shown the helicopter and the basics of how they
fly. It was a wonderful experience for the all and it
seems a few children are now aspiring aviators.
Flying is our passion, SAFETY is our mission
T H E E R A S TA R
October 2012 17
Newest Members of Retirees Club
AMT—Lake Charles, retired on August 9, 2012, after
almost thirty years with Era. Hired at Era in August 1983, Fred spent his
entire career in the Engine Shop. He is considered a true gentleman by all
who know him, and a great Engine Mechanic by anyone who has worked
with him. A special retirement party was held in the South Hangar and the
hangar was filled to capacity with well-wishers. Fred was presented with a
commemorative plaque and an IOU for a wood BO105 model which was
hung up in the Philippines due to a hurricane! Fred will be sorely missed by
all those who had the pleasure to work with him.
Fred Engler,
Captain Ken Morrison, retired from Era Helicopters on August 31,
2012. A former U.S. Army Pilot, Captain Morrison, flew in the military for
forty-five years, including serving in Vietnam. After retiring from the U.S.
Army, he joined the private sector where he flew for Keystone Helicopter,
AOL and Air Methods before joining Era in January 2003. At the time of his
retirement, he was flying for Era Air Medical services for PennSTAR, which
provides critical care air transportation services within a 100-mile radius of
the University of Pennsylvania Health System. Ken and his wife, Nancy,
plan to spend their retirement traveling throughout the United States in their
RV and hope to reach Alaska by the 2013 flying season.
New Aircraft Dedication
Norman McCall, Consultant for SEACOR Marine, with
Paul White–Senior Vice President-Domestic, has been
honored with the dedication of Era’s newest EC135
helicopter in his name. The aircraft carries the tail
number, N302NM, which represents his birthday, March
2nd, and his initials. “Mr. Norman,” as he is affectionately
known by all, was extremely surprised and appreciative
of his helicopter dedication. Hurricane Isaac provided
some wind gusts of 30 mph, adding excitement to the
ceremony held in Lake Charles. A well-known name
in the marine crew boat industry, he owned McCall’s
Boat Rentals, which merged with SEACOR in 1996.
His reputation in the industry is that of unwavering
commitment to his customers and employees.
1 8 T H E E R A S TA R
October 2012
Flying is our passion, SAFETY is our mission
Hurricane Isaac Creates Lots of
Activity for Gulf of Mexico Operations
Hurricane Isaac took its time reaching land as it slowly moved through
the Gulf of Mexico, raising speculations on where it would make
landfall. As fate had it, Hurricane Isaac arrived as a Category 1 storm
with the eye of the storm centering on the eastern portion of Louisiana.
Below are some photos of the activities that occurred during Isaac.
Above: Just a small sampling of the 58 helicopters evacuated to Lake
Charles from the Era bases located east of Lake Charles. Photo
submitted by Andy Newman–Delegated Inspector, Lake Charles.
2012 Lake Charles
Employee Health Fair
The changing of the season reminds us
that cold and flu time is upon us, which
often results in us thinking more about our
health! Era will be sponsoring our annual
Health Fair, provided through CHRISTUS
St. Patrick Hospital, on Friday, November
16, 2012, at the Lake Charles Transport
Center from 8 am -11 am. Era will not only
cover the cost of flu shots for employees,
but will also cover the cost of diagnostic
blood lab work for the employee as
well! This is the same lab work typically
requested by your physician that provides
total cholesterol (HDL & LDL), triglycerides,
glucose (blood sugar), PSA for men and
thyroid numbers for women. The results will
be confidentially provided by the hospital
to both you and the physician of your
choice. We encourage everyone available
to take advantage of the additional health
services that will be offered, including:
blood pressure, vision and hearing checks,
as well as health education on behavioral
health, cancer prevention, diabetes,
heartburn and women’s health. Please
contact Lisa LaFleur (337-478-6131 or
Cisco extension 242200) if you plan on
receiving the flu shot or want blood lab
work done in Lake Charles! It is important
to pre-register for both services to allow the
hospital to be properly prepared.
Above: Car carriers roll into Lake Charles carrying vehicles belonging
to customer employees who were unable to retrieve them from
evacuated bases. Ever diligent in protecting customer’s assets, Era
moved the vehicles to Lake Charles from evacuated bases until the
hurricane had passed, then returned them to those bases.
Above: A full house with an EC225, two AW139s and an EC135 in the
North Hangar during Hurricane Isaac.
Flying is our passion, SAFETY is our mission
If do not have access to the Health Fair in
Lake Charles, please remember that our
insurance, Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Texas,
does cover 100% of the cost of the flu shot
and yearly diagnostic blood work when
utilizing an approved PPO provider.
T H E E R A S TA R O c t o b e r 2 0 1 2 1 9
Statistics Say Speed Kills
Submitted by Cody Anderson–Logistic Distribution Driver, GOM
From a newspaper article in Claiborne Parish, Louisiana:
“The accident happened shortly after 3 p.m. Tuesday off Harris Road outside of the city limits of Homer in Claiborne
Parish. The driver of a 2004 Ford F-250 was pronounced dead at the scene after being extricated from the vehicle
by the Homer Fire Department. According to Louisiana State Police, the vehicle was traveling at a high rate of speed
when the driver lost control of the vehicle, overcorrected, and flipped the truck. Authorities say the crash remains under
investigation.”
MY THOUGHTS
I think about accidents often, when you see people losing loved ones in fatal accidents because of stupid reasons.
Knowing that speeding drivers are the cause of a high percentage of all auto accidents should make you very cautious of
your speed and of other drivers on the road. This article makes me wonder about all the times I was speeding down the
highway, had I looked down or was not paying attention for just a brief moment, something like that could have happened
to me. The faster you drive, the faster your mind has to process the moves you make, and the greater the risk of an
accident, not to mention the increase in forces on the human body in a collision at high speeds. The rush to get there
and get back is not worth the likelihood of you getting hurt or killed, and the hardship this would place on your loved ones.
Speeding is a choice that you make all own your own so please use the Cruise Control and do the speed limit!
Helpful Tips While Driving
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Always Buckle Up
Watch Your Speed
Leave your Phone Alone
Maintain Safe Following Distance
Stay Alert
Be Patient
Use Cruise Control
Watch For Road Hazards
Be Aware Of Your Surroundings
Keep Both Hands On The Wheel At All Times
Some Interesting Shots Found Out and About
Left: Tyson Schoessler and
Matt Russell–Tour and Ramp
Hosts in Denali, Alaska,
in full HazMat gear while
installing new insulation
under Employee Housing in
Denali.
Right: Derek Sinkular–AMT,
Houma, Louisiana, shows off
an alligator captured at the
Dulac, Louisiana, base.
2 0 T H E E R A S TA R O c t o b e r 2 0 1 2
Flying is our passion, SAFETY is our mission
Electrical Tool Safety
Submitted by Jeff Daniels–Alaska HSE
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:
mlandry@erahelicopters.com
-Special Notice-
New Date for 2012 Company
Christmas Party in Lake Charles
Due to a scheduling conflict, this year’s
Company Christmas Party in Lake Charles
has been rescheduled for Saturday, December
15, 2012, at L’auberge Casino Resort. Any
employee who lives, or is in the Lake Charles
area during this period, can attend with one
guest. More information will be provided at a
later date, 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,
contact L’auberge at 866-580-7444, and
request Group Code #SERAMO to receive the
group contracted rate of $129. The deadline
for booking rooms is November 24 and there
is a 48-hour cancellation policy.
Flying is our passion, SAFETY is our mission
Each year workers suffer shock injuries when
handling electrical power tools; in some
cases these injuries are fatal. It is important
to remember that it’s not only the amount
(voltage) that can injure or kill, but
also the amount of electric current
that passes through the body.
Weather conditions, your work
environment, and the placement
of your body affect your likelihood
of receiving a shock.
Electricity and water can be a deadly combination. If you are standing
on a wet floor or a puddle, the moisture will allow more current to pass
through your body. Take caution if you are working with electric tools
around metal objects in a damp area. Wear the proper equipment
such as rubber gloves and boots or use rubber mats, insulated tools,
and rubber sheets to cover exposed metal to shield you from electric
currents.
Remembering a few tips can help prevent you from receiving an
electrical shock:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Treat every electric wire as if it were a live one.
Inspect equipment and extension cords before each use. If an
extension cord is damaged in any way discard the cord and get a
new one.
Take out of service for repair, faulty equipment or plugs with bent
or missing prongs.
Let only a qualified electrician repair electrical equipment or work
on energized lines.
If a plug doesn’t have three prongs or if the receptacle doesn’t
have three openings, make sure the tool is grounded in some
other way before use.
Never try to bypass an electrical system by cutting off the third
prong of a plug.
Never disconnect an electrical plug by pulling on the cord.
Turn off the power and report if the smell of hot or burning plastic
is detected or if smoke, sparks, or flickering lights are noticed.
Stop using a tool or appliance if a slight shock or tingling is felt.
Turn off, lock out, and tag the circuit breaker or fuse box to ensure
that the circuit cannot be accidentally turned on when you’re
working on it.
Use electric tools the way they were designed and follow safety
practices. Always wear or use the proper Personal Protective
Equipment (PPE) and be familiar with emergency response
procedures.
T H E E R A S TA R O c t o b e r 2 0 1 2 2 1