Consolidating Financial Information - Balance Sheet (Details) - USD ($)
$ in Thousands
Dec. 31, 2015
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Current assets:        
Cash and cash equivalents $ 2,129 $ 5,097 $ 1,881 $ 1,468
Restricted cash 373 567    
Accounts receivable, net 40,520 44,350    
Prepaid expenses and other current assets 5,233 9,457    
Total current assets 48,255 59,471    
Aircraft support parts, net 139,609 137,593    
Aircraft held for sale 12,348 0    
Aircraft, net 186,132 225,395    
Property, plant and equipment, net 25,553 23,461    
Other assets 10,261 12,006    
Other intangible assets, net 15,787 20,053    
Goodwill, net 163,708 215,241 234,978  
Total assets 601,653 693,220    
Current liabilities:        
Accounts payable 13,660 19,844    
Current portion of long-term debt 8,205 2,438    
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities 17,828 19,349    
Total current liabilities 39,693 41,631    
Credit facility 96,165 87,062    
Long-term debt, less current portion 364,782 360,359    
Other liabilities 11,720 23,155    
Total liabilities 512,360 512,207    
Equity (deficit):        
Common stock 1 1    
Additional paid-in capital 181,259 181,018    
Accumulated deficit (84,901) 1,812    
Accumulated other comprehensive loss (7,789) (2,544)    
Total Erickson Incorporated shareholders’ equity 88,570 180,287    
Noncontrolling interests’ equity 723 726    
Total equity 89,293 181,013 192,907 105,368
Total liabilities and equity 601,653 693,220    
Reportable Legal Entities | Parent Company        
Current assets:        
Cash and cash equivalents 13 7 576 41
Restricted cash 0 136    
Accounts receivable, net 18,053 13,117    
Prepaid expenses and other current assets 3,637 7,036    
Total current assets 21,703 20,296    
Aircraft support parts, net 111,735 106,721    
Aircraft held for sale 5,880      
Aircraft, net 125,095 134,594    
Property, plant and equipment, net 20,367 18,937    
Other assets 311,798 312,261    
Other intangible assets, net 2,205 2,205    
Goodwill, net 0 0    
Total assets 598,783 595,014    
Current liabilities:        
Accounts payable 6,165 6,021    
Current portion of long-term debt 7,292 2,438    
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities 15,524 (54,974)    
Total current liabilities 28,981 (46,515)    
Credit facility 96,165 87,062    
Long-term debt, less current portion 362,585 360,359    
Other liabilities (30,830) 23,742    
Total liabilities 456,901 424,648    
Equity (deficit):        
Common stock 1 1    
Additional paid-in capital 181,259 181,018    
Accumulated deficit (34,322) (8,993)    
Accumulated other comprehensive loss (5,056) (1,660)    
Total Erickson Incorporated shareholders’ equity 141,882 170,366    
Noncontrolling interests’ equity 0 0    
Total equity 141,882 170,366    
Total liabilities and equity 598,783 595,014    
Reportable Legal Entities | Guarantor Subsidiaries        
Current assets:        
Cash and cash equivalents 71 274 (12) 0
Restricted cash 0 0    
Accounts receivable, net 15,887 26,199    
Prepaid expenses and other current assets 1,028 1,171    
Total current assets 16,986 27,644    
Aircraft support parts, net 27,631 30,482    
Aircraft held for sale 5,316      
Aircraft, net 60,501 86,674    
Property, plant and equipment, net 4,606 3,493    
Other assets 8,309 4,337    
Other intangible assets, net 13,582 15,726    
Goodwill, net 160,533 210,356    
Total assets 297,464 378,712    
Current liabilities:        
Accounts payable 6,270 11,465    
Current portion of long-term debt 913 0    
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities 1,588 49,166    
Total current liabilities 8,771 60,631    
Credit facility 0 0    
Long-term debt, less current portion 2,197 0    
Other liabilities 26,046 708    
Total liabilities 37,014 61,339    
Equity (deficit):        
Common stock 0 0    
Additional paid-in capital 297,994 297,994    
Accumulated deficit (37,544) 19,379    
Accumulated other comprehensive loss 0 0    
Total Erickson Incorporated shareholders’ equity 260,450 317,373    
Noncontrolling interests’ equity 0 0    
Total equity 260,450 317,373    
Total liabilities and equity 297,464 378,712    
Reportable Legal Entities | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries        
Current assets:        
Cash and cash equivalents 2,045 4,816 1,317 1,427
Restricted cash 373 431    
Accounts receivable, net 6,542 4,990    
Prepaid expenses and other current assets 568 1,228    
Total current assets 9,528 11,465    
Aircraft support parts, net 288 435    
Aircraft held for sale 1,152      
Aircraft, net 536 4,127    
Property, plant and equipment, net 580 1,031    
Other assets 624 501    
Other intangible assets, net 0 2,122    
Goodwill, net 3,937 5,647    
Total assets 16,645 25,328    
Current liabilities:        
Accounts payable 1,225 2,358    
Current portion of long-term debt 0 0    
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities 716 25,135    
Total current liabilities 1,941 27,493    
Credit facility 0 0    
Long-term debt, less current portion 0 0    
Other liabilities 16,504 (1,295)    
Total liabilities 18,445 26,198    
Equity (deficit):        
Common stock 7,052 1,675    
Additional paid-in capital 33 33    
Accumulated deficit (7,545) (3,171)    
Accumulated other comprehensive loss (1,974) (41)    
Total Erickson Incorporated shareholders’ equity (2,434) (1,504)    
Noncontrolling interests’ equity 634 634    
Total equity (1,800) (870)    
Total liabilities and equity 16,645 25,328    
Consolidating Entries and Eliminations        
Current assets:        
Cash and cash equivalents 0 0 $ 0 $ 0
Restricted cash 0 0    
Accounts receivable, net 38 44    
Prepaid expenses and other current assets 0 22    
Total current assets 38 66    
Aircraft support parts, net (45) (45)    
Aircraft held for sale 0      
Aircraft, net 0 0    
Property, plant and equipment, net 0 0    
Other assets (310,470) (305,093)    
Other intangible assets, net 0 0    
Goodwill, net (762) (762)    
Total assets (311,239) (305,834)    
Current liabilities:        
Accounts payable 0 0    
Current portion of long-term debt 0 0    
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities 0 22    
Total current liabilities 0 22    
Credit facility 0 0    
Long-term debt, less current portion 0 0    
Other liabilities 0 0    
Total liabilities 0 22    
Equity (deficit):        
Common stock (7,052) (1,675)    
Additional paid-in capital (298,027) (298,027)    
Accumulated deficit (5,490) (5,403)    
Accumulated other comprehensive loss (759) (843)    
Total Erickson Incorporated shareholders’ equity (311,328) (305,948)    
Noncontrolling interests’ equity 89 92    
Total equity (311,239) (305,856)    
Total liabilities and equity $ (311,239) $ (305,834)