PORTLAND, Ore., June 01, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Erickson Incorporated (NASDAQ:EAC), a leading global provider of aviation services, has been contracted to provide helicopter transport in support of the Alaska Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Forest Inventory Analysis project.
Under the five-year contract, Erickson will deliver one exclusive-use, light lift helicopter for charter services to an interagency field crew led by the Alaska DNR Division of Forestry, United States Department of Agricultural and United States Forest Service. The crew will establish forestry field plots to analyze and monitor over several years as part of a national program.
The Forest Inventory Analysis project area for 2016 is focused on Alaska’s interior. Erickson operations will be based in Fairbanks and work out of Nenana and Manley. For the work, the aircraft and crew will be required to operate in and out of unimproved landing areas, potentially during periods of inclement weather, gusty winds, and possibly smoky conditions. Erickson’s self-reliant team of experienced pilots and qualified mechanics are specially trained for performance in rugged terrain and challenging conditions.
“Erickson delivers exceptional service in remote locations and environments,” said Jeff Roberts, President and CEO of Erickson Incorporated. “Our teams excel in the wilderness environment and Erickson’s company’s history is steeped in forestry support and fire suppression, so we are proud to be a part of this land management research mission.”
Erickson’s Alaska operations have multiple locations throughout the state, supporting various industry needs. For near-shore oil and gas customers, the company provides transport of passengers and cargo in the Cook Inlet and North Slope. It has also provided an aerial school bus for rural students. From a base in Nome, Erickson transports residents to the island of Little Diomede, the Western-most point of the United States. The company has additionally worked on utility and infrastructure construction outside of Anchorage and recently announced fire suppression contracts earlier this year. Erickson has served the Alaska market for more than 50 years.
The Interior Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) project will install permanent sample measurement plots to assess important forest functions within the Boreal forest of Interior Alaska. This is the last area of the United States to have an installed permanent sample grid and these plots will provide important information on the changes occurring in the region during a key period of climatic warming. A permanent grid of sample plots will enable the assessment of ecological change over time including changes in species distribution, growth rates, carbon flux, wildfire frequency, and permafrost depth.
About Erickson
Erickson is a leading global provider of aviation services and operates, maintains and manufactures utility aircraft to safely transport and place people and cargo around the world. The Company is self-reliant, multifaceted and operates in remote locations under challenging conditions specializing in Global Defense and Security, Manufacturing and MRO, and Commercial Services (comprised of firefighting, HVAC, power line, construction, timber harvesting, oil and gas and specialty lift). With roots dating back to 1960, Erickson operates a fleet of approximately 80 aircraft, is headquartered in Portland, Oregon, USA, and operates in six continents to include North America, South America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific, and Australia. For more information, please visit our new website at www.ericksoninc.com.
This press release contains certain statements relating to future results (including, without limitation, “believe,” “may,” “estimate,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “plan,” “expect,” “predict”), which are forward-looking statements as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are based on beliefs of Company management, as well as assumptions and estimates based on information currently available to the Company, and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from historical results or those anticipated, including certain other risks or uncertainties more fully described under the heading “Risk Factors” in our most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K as well as in the other reports we file with the SEC from time to time, which are available at the SEC’s web site located at http://www.sec.gov. You should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. The Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of such statements or to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events.