Consolidating Financial Information - Statement of Operations (Details) - USD ($)
$ in Thousands
 3 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2015
Sep. 30, 2015
Jun. 30, 2015
Mar. 31, 2015
Dec. 31, 2014
Sep. 30, 2014
Jun. 30, 2014
Mar. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2015
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]                      
Revenues, net $ 60,906 $ 101,133 $ 69,319 $ 66,162 $ 73,202 $ 118,338 $ 80,885 $ 74,184 $ 297,520 $ 346,609 $ 318,221
Cost of revenues                 250,245 265,715 224,031
Gross profit 5,125 33,044 7,732 1,374 12,488 47,496 13,384 7,526 47,275 80,894 94,190
Operating expenses:                      
General and administrative                 28,891 26,606 37,674
Research and development                 2,675 3,782 4,000
Selling and marketing                 5,449 6,904 5,524
Impairment of goodwill       49,800     21,300   49,823 21,272 0
Impairment of other assets 8,100     7,100         15,236 0 0
Total operating expenses                 102,074 58,564 47,198
Operating income (loss)                 (54,799) 22,330 46,992
Other income (expense):                      
Interest expense, net                 (37,073) (35,800) (25,175)
Other income (expense), net                 517 (1,193) (5,831)
Net income (loss) before income taxes and noncontrolling interests                 (91,355) (14,663) 15,986
Income tax expense                 (4,723) (4,432) 6,120
Net income (loss) (16,661) 15,351 (10,239) (75,083) (2,485) 16,941 (17,162) (7,525) (86,632) (10,231) 9,866
Less: Net income related to noncontrolling interests                 (81) (61) (209)
Net income (loss) attributable to Erickson Incorporated $ (16,696) $ 15,074 $ (10,121) $ (74,970) $ (2,451) $ 16,862 $ (17,109) $ (7,594) (86,713) (10,292) 9,657
Reportable Legal Entities | Parent Company                      
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]                      
Revenues, net                 156,772 151,502 161,500
Cost of revenues                 109,062 96,815 100,270
Gross profit                 47,710 54,687 61,230
Operating expenses:                      
General and administrative                 25,244 22,280 27,775
Research and development                 2,673 3,782 4,000
Selling and marketing                 5,595 6,048 4,577
Impairment of goodwill                 0 0  
Impairment of other assets                 7,858    
Total operating expenses                 41,370 32,110 36,352
Operating income (loss)                 6,340 22,577 24,878
Other income (expense):                      
Interest expense, net                 (36,402) (35,210) (25,103)
Other income (expense), net                 (342) (3,600) (5,515)
Net income (loss) before income taxes and noncontrolling interests                 (30,404) (16,233) (5,740)
Income tax expense                 (5,075) (6,433) 5,311
Net income (loss)                 (25,329) (9,800) (11,051)
Less: Net income related to noncontrolling interests                 0 0 0
Net income (loss) attributable to Erickson Incorporated                 (25,329) (9,800) (11,051)
Reportable Legal Entities | Guarantor Subsidiaries                      
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]                      
Revenues, net                 124,503 163,094 128,109
Cost of revenues                 124,345 145,054 100,429
Gross profit                 158 18,040 27,680
Operating expenses:                      
General and administrative                 1,104 910 5,116
Research and development                 2 0 0
Selling and marketing                 19 595 775
Impairment of goodwill                 49,823 21,272  
Impairment of other assets                 5,939    
Total operating expenses                 56,887 22,777 5,891
Operating income (loss)                 (56,729) (4,737) 21,789
Other income (expense):                      
Interest expense, net                 (387) 20 1
Other income (expense), net                 193 2,286 16
Net income (loss) before income taxes and noncontrolling interests                 (56,923) (2,431) 21,806
Income tax expense                 0 0 (5)
Net income (loss)                 (56,923) (2,431) 21,811
Less: Net income related to noncontrolling interests                 0 0 0
Net income (loss) attributable to Erickson Incorporated                 (56,923) (2,431) 21,811
Reportable Legal Entities | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries                      
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]                      
Revenues, net                 48,326 55,663 52,852
Cost of revenues                 48,623 47,328 47,543
Gross profit                 (297) 8,335 5,309
Operating expenses:                      
General and administrative                 2,543 3,416 4,844
Research and development                 0 0 0
Selling and marketing                 131 429 123
Impairment of goodwill                 0 0  
Impairment of other assets                 1,439    
Total operating expenses                 4,113 3,845 4,967
Operating income (loss)                 (4,410) 4,490 342
Other income (expense):                      
Interest expense, net                 (284) (610) (73)
Other income (expense), net                 672 229 33
Net income (loss) before income taxes and noncontrolling interests                 (4,022) 4,109 302
Income tax expense                 352 2,001 814
Net income (loss)                 (4,374) 2,108 (512)
Less: Net income related to noncontrolling interests                 0 0 0
Net income (loss) attributable to Erickson Incorporated                 (4,374) 2,108 (512)
Consolidating Entries and Eliminations                      
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]                      
Revenues, net                 (32,081) (23,650) (24,240)
Cost of revenues                 (31,785) (23,482) (24,211)
Gross profit                 (296) (168) (29)
Operating expenses:                      
General and administrative                 0 0 (61)
Research and development                 0 0 0
Selling and marketing                 (296) (168) 49
Impairment of goodwill                 0 0  
Impairment of other assets                 0    
Total operating expenses                 (296) (168) (12)
Operating income (loss)                 0 0 (17)
Other income (expense):                      
Interest expense, net                 0 0 0
Other income (expense), net                 (6) (108) (365)
Net income (loss) before income taxes and noncontrolling interests                 (6) (108) (382)
Income tax expense                 0 0 0
Net income (loss)                 (6) (108) (382)
Less: Net income related to noncontrolling interests                 (81) (61) (209)
Net income (loss) attributable to Erickson Incorporated                 $ (87) $ (169) $ (591)