Erickson Incorporated (NASDAQ:EAC), a leading global provider of aviation services, has a long-term helicopter support contract with Chugach Electric Association (CEA), which has been extended for two additional years as permitted in the original contract award. The extension will retain Erickson through December 31, 2018. The assigned mission will be to fly essential crew and contractors into remote locations, conduct powerline patrols, mountaintop microwave repeater servicing, and emergency earthquake inspections of substations, dams and transmission lines. Selection criteria for the contract extension included safety, past performance, customer service, crew expertise and pricing.

The companies will cooperate in remote and often mountainous terrain in south central Alaska. The scope of work will help provide an AS350B2 “A-star” helicopter to communities as well as access to facilities not connected to the highway system. Chugach Electric provides electric service to 81,000 metered locations for its members and essential transmission interconnection to other municipal and cooperative utilities from Fairbanks in the north to Homer and Seward on the Kenai Peninsula.

“Erickson has been a safe and reliable helicopter support contractor and we are pleased that we were able to reach an agreement on extending the contract for two more years.  We look forward to continued safe, efficient and reliable service from Erickson,” said Bill Bernier, Vice President, Power Delivery for Chugach Electric Association, Inc.

Andrew Mills, Vice President of Global Business Development for Erickson added, “We value our partnership with Chugach Electric and are very committed to the Alaska constituents we serve who have relied on us for their helicopter needs. Erickson is one of the last global providers of helicopter services in Alaska, a market we have served for more than 55 years.”