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S-1/A - AMENDMENT NO.8 TO FORM S-1 - ERICKSON INC.a2206839zs-1a.htm
EX-10.21 - FORM OF 2012 LONG-TERM INCENTIVE PLAN - ERICKSON INC.a2206943zex-10_21.htm
EX-10.22 - AIRCRAFT LEASE & PURCH. OPTION AGMT - ERICKSON INC.a2206943zex-10_22.htm

Exhibit 1.1

 

ERICKSON AIR-CRANE INCORPORATED

 

(a Delaware corporation)

 

[·] Shares of Common Stock

 

UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

 

Dated:  [·], 2012

 



 

Erickson Air-Crane Incorporated

 

(a Delaware corporation)

 

[·] Shares of Common Stock

 

UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

 

 

[·], 2012

 

Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated

as Representative of the several Underwriters

c/o                               Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated

 

One South Street, 15th Floor
Baltimore, Maryland 21202

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

Erickson Air-Crane Incorporated, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and the persons listed in Schedule B hereto (the “Selling Stockholders”), confirm their respective agreements with each of the Underwriters named in Schedule A hereto (collectively, the “Underwriters,” which term shall also include any underwriter substituted as hereinafter provided in Section 10 hereof), for whom Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated is acting as a representative (in such capacity, the “Representative”), with respect to (i) the sale by the Company and the purchase by the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, of the numbers of shares of Common Stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of the Company (“Common Stock”) set forth in Schedule A hereto and (ii) the grant by the Selling Stockholders to the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, of the option described in Section 2(b) hereof to purchase all or any part of [·] additional shares of Common Stock to cover overallotments, if any.  The aforesaid [·] shares of Common Stock (the “Initial Securities”) to be purchased by the Underwriters and all or any part of the [·] shares of Common Stock subject to the option described in Section 2(b) hereof (the “Option Securities”) are herein called, collectively, the “Securities.”

 

The Company and the Selling Stockholders understand that the Underwriters propose to make a public offering of the Securities as soon as the Representative deems advisable after this Agreement has been executed and delivered.

 

The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a registration statement on Form S-1 (No. 333-166752), including the related preliminary prospectus or prospectuses, covering the registration of the sale of the Securities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”).  Promptly after execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Company will prepare and file a prospectus in accordance with the provisions of Rule 430A (“Rule 430A”) of the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under the 1933 Act (the “1933 Act Regulations”) and Rule 424(b) (“Rule 424(b)”) of the 1933 Act Regulations.  The information included in such prospectus that was omitted from such registration statement at the time it became effective but that is deemed to be part of such registration statement at the time it became effective pursuant to Rule 430A(b) is herein called the “Rule 430A Information.”  Such registration statement, including the amendments thereto, the exhibits thereto and any schedules thereto, at the time it became

 



 

effective, and including the Rule 430A Information, is herein called the “Registration Statement.”  Any registration statement filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) of the 1933 Act Regulations is herein called the “Rule 462(b) Registration Statement” and, after such filing, the term “Registration Statement” shall include the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement.  Each prospectus used prior to the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, and each prospectus that omitted the Rule 430A Information that was used after such effectiveness and prior to the execution and delivery of this Agreement is herein called a “preliminary prospectus.”  The final prospectus, in the form first furnished to the Underwriters for use in connection with the offering of the Securities is herein called the “Prospectus.”  For purposes of this Agreement, all references to the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement to any of the foregoing shall be deemed to include the copy filed with the Commission pursuant to its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system (“EDGAR”) or its Interactive Data Electronic Applications system (“IDEA”).

 

As used in this Agreement:

 

“Applicable Time” means [·] [A.M./P.M.], New York City time, on [·], 2012 or such other time as agreed by the Company and the Representative.

 

“General Disclosure Package” means any Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectuses issued at or prior to the Applicable Time, the prospectus that is included in the Registration Statement as of the Applicable Time and the information included on Schedule C-1 hereto, if any, all considered together.

 

“Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means any “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433 of the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 433”), including without limitation any “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405 of the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 405”)) relating to the Securities that is (i) required to be filed with the Commission by the Company, (ii) a “road show that is a written communication” within the meaning of Rule 433(d)(8)(i), whether or not required to be filed with the Commission, or (iii) exempt from filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d)(5)(i) because it contains a description of the Securities or of the offering that does not reflect the final terms, in each case in the form filed or required to be filed with the Commission or, if not required to be filed, in the form retained in the Company’s records pursuant to Rule 433(g).

 

“Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is intended for general distribution to prospective investors (other than a “bona fide electronic road show,” as defined in Rule 433 (the “Bona Fide Electronic Road Show”)), as evidenced by its being specified in Schedule C-2 hereto.

 

“Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is not an Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus.

 

SECTION 1.                               Representations and Warranties.

 

(a)                                  Representations and Warranties by the Company.  The Company represents and warrants to each Underwriter as of the date hereof, the Applicable Time, the Closing Time (as defined below) and any Date of Delivery (as defined below), and agrees with each Underwriter, as follows:

 

(i)                                     Registration Statement and Prospectuses.  Each of the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto has become effective under the 1933 Act.  No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment

 

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thereto has been issued under the 1933 Act, no order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus has been issued and no proceedings for any of those purposes have been instituted or are pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, contemplated.  The Company has complied with each request (if any) from the Commission for additional information.

 

Each of the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the time it became effective, complied in all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations.  Each preliminary prospectus (including the prospectus filed as part of the Registration Statement as originally filed or as part of any amendment or supplement thereto), at the time it was filed, and the Prospectus complied, and will comply, in all material respects with the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations.  Each preliminary prospectus delivered to the Underwriters for use in connection with this offering and the Prospectus was or will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR or IDEA, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

 

(ii)                                  Accurate Disclosure.  Neither the Registration Statement nor any post-effective amendment thereto, at its effective time, at the Closing Time or at any Date of Delivery, contained, contains or will contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.  At the Applicable Time, neither (A) the General Disclosure Package nor (B) any individual Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus, when considered together with the General Disclosure Package, included, includes or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.  Neither the Prospectus nor any amendment or supplement thereto (including any prospectus wrapper), as of its issue date, at the time of any filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b), at the Closing Time or at any Date of Delivery, included, includes or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

 

The representations and warranties in this subsection shall not apply to statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representative expressly for use therein.  For purposes of this Agreement, the only information so furnished shall be the information set forth as the table in the first paragraph and as the sixth, eight, thirteenth, fifteenth, sixteenth and seventeenth paragraphs regarding the number of shares each underwriter has agreed to purchase severally, concessions and reallowances, the referral fee, the discretionary authority that the Underwriters expect to exercise, short sales and stabilizing transactions and penalty bids, respectively,  under the caption “Underwriting” in the Prospectus (collectively, the “Underwriter Information”).

 

(iii)                               Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses.  No Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conflicts or will conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus and any preliminary or other prospectus deemed to be a part thereof that has not been superseded or modified.  The Company has made available a Bona Fide Electronic Road Show in compliance with Rule 433(d)(8)(ii) such that no filing of any “road show” (as defined in Rule 433(h)) is required in connection with the offering of the Securities.

 

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(iv)                              Shares Issued to Employees, Directors or Officers.  Through the date hereof, the Company did not, and after the date hereof, the Company will not, issue any shares or rights to receive shares of Common Stock to any employee, director or officer of the Company pursuant to the Company’s 2012 Long-Term Incentive Plan, as described in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (the “2012 Long-Term Incentive Plan”), unless either (A) such employee, director or officer has executed a lock-up agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit A attached hereto or (B) such shares or rights to receive such shares are subject to transfer restrictions restricting such persons from selling, transferring or otherwise disposing of such shares or rights to receive such shares until at least 180 days after the date of the Prospectus (the “Lock-Up Period”).

 

(v)                                 Company Not Ineligible Issuer.  At the time of filing the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the earliest time thereafter that the Company or another offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) of the 1933 Act Regulations) of the Securities and at the date hereof, the Company was not and is not an “ineligible issuer,” as defined in Rule 405, without taking account of any determination by the Commission pursuant to Rule 405 that it is not necessary that the Company be considered an ineligible issuer.

 

(vi)                              Independent Accountants.  Grant Thornton LLP, which has expressed an unqualified opinion with respect to the Company’s financial statements and supporting schedules included in the Registration Statement, is an independent registered public accounting firm as required by the 1933 Act, the 1933 Act Regulations and the Public Accounting Oversight Board.  With respect to the Company, to the Company’s knowledge, Grant Thornton LLP is not and has not been in violation of the auditor independence requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and all rules and regulations promulgated thereunder or implementing the provisions thereof (“Sarbanes-Oxley Act”).

 

(vii)                           Financial Statements; Non-GAAP Financial Measures.  The financial statements included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, together with the related schedules and notes, present fairly the financial position of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries at the dates indicated and the statement of operations, stockholders’ equity and cash flows of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries for the periods specified; said financial statements have been prepared in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved except as stated in the related notes thereto.  The supporting schedules, if any, present fairly in accordance with GAAP the information required to be stated therein.  The selected financial data, the summary financial information and the capitalization data included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus present fairly the information shown therein and have been compiled on a basis consistent with that of the audited financial statements included therein.  Except as included therein, no historical or pro forma financial statements or supporting schedules are required to be included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus under the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act Regulations.  All disclosures contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus regarding “non-GAAP financial measures” (as such term is defined by the rules and regulations of the Commission), except for the presentation of “Bank EBITDA,” comply with Regulation G of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “1934 Act”), as amended and Item 10 of Regulation S-K of the 1933 Act, to the extent applicable.

 

(viii)                        No Material Adverse Change in Business.  Except as otherwise stated therein, since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, (A) there has been no material adverse change in

 

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the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business (a “Material Adverse Effect”), (B) there have been no transactions entered into by the Company or any of its subsidiaries, other than those in the ordinary course of business, which are material with respect to the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, (C) there has been no dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by the Company on any class of its capital stock, and (D) there has been no material loss or interference with the Company’s business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree.

 

(ix)                                Good Standing of the Company.  The Company has been duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware and has corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement; and the Company is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business and is in good standing in each other jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure so to qualify or to be in good standing would not result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(x)                                   Good Standing of Subsidiaries.  Each subsidiary of the Company (each, a “Subsidiary” and, collectively, the “Subsidiaries”) has been duly organized and is validly existing in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, has corporate or similar power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and is duly qualified to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure to so qualify or to be in good standing would not result in a Material Adverse Effect.  Except as otherwise disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, all of the issued and outstanding capital stock of each Subsidiary has been duly authorized and validly issued, is fully paid and non-assessable and the shares of each such Subsidiary owned by the Company are so owned, directly or through subsidiaries, free and clear of any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance, claim or equity, other than shares of the Subsidiaries owned by the Company that are pledged as collateral pursuant to the security and pledge agreement, dated June 24, 2010, between the Company and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as administrative agent.  None of the outstanding shares of capital stock of any Subsidiary was issued in violation of the preemptive or similar rights of any securityholder of such Subsidiary.  The only subsidiaries of the Company are the subsidiaries listed on Exhibit 21 to the Registration Statement.

 

(xi)                                Capitalization.  The authorized, issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company as of September 30, 2011 are as set forth in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus in the column entitled “Actual” under the caption “Capitalization” (except for subsequent issuances, if any, pursuant to this Agreement, pursuant to reservations, agreements or employee benefit plans referred to in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or pursuant to the exercise of convertible securities, options or recapitalizations referred to in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus).  The outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company, including the Option Securities to be purchased by the Underwriters from the Selling Stockholders, have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable.  None of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company, including the Option Securities

 

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to be purchased by the Underwriters from the Selling Stockholders, was issued in violation of the preemptive or other similar rights of any securityholder of the Company.

 

(xii)                             Authorization of Agreement.  This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.

 

(xiii)                          Authorization and Description of Securities.  The Securities to be purchased by the Underwriters from the Company have been duly authorized for issuance and sale to the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement and, when issued and delivered by the Company pursuant to this Agreement against payment of the consideration set forth herein, will be validly issued and fully paid and non-assessable; and the issuance of the Securities is not subject to the preemptive or other similar rights of any securityholder of the Company, other than the rights provided under the Management Stockholders Agreement, dated March 31, 2010, by and among the Company and the Selling Stockholders, which will terminate at the Closing Time.  The Common Stock conforms to all statements relating thereto contained in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and such description conforms to the rights set forth in the instruments defining the same.

 

(xiv)                         Registration Rights.  There are no persons with registration rights or other similar rights to have any securities registered for sale pursuant to the Registration Statement or otherwise registered for sale by the Company under the 1933 Act, other than those rights that have been disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and have been either complied with or waived with respect to the offering of the Securities contemplated hereby.

 

(xv)                            Absence of Violations, Defaults and Conflicts.  Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is (A) in violation of its charter, by-laws or similar organizational document, (B) in default in the performance or observance of any obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan or credit agreement, note, lease or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which it or any of them may be bound or to which any of the properties or assets of the Company or any subsidiary is subject (collectively, “Agreements and Instruments”), except for such defaults that would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect, or (C) in violation of any law, statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree of any arbitrator, court, governmental body, regulatory body, administrative agency or other authority, body or agency having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their respective properties, assets or operations (each, a “Governmental Entity”), except for such violations that would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect.  The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein and in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (including the issuance and sale of the Securities and the use of the proceeds from the sale of the Securities as described therein under the caption “Use of Proceeds”) and compliance by the Company with its obligations hereunder have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action and do not and will not, whether with or without the giving of notice or passage of time or both, conflict with or constitute a breach of, or default or Repayment Event (as defined below) under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any properties or assets of the Company or any subsidiary pursuant to, the Agreements and Instruments (except for such conflicts, breaches, defaults or Repayment Events or liens, charges or encumbrances that would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect), nor will such action result in any violation of the provisions of the charter, by-laws or similar organizational document of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any law, statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree of any Governmental Entity, including without limitation, laws, rules and regulations promulgated by

 

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the United States Department of Transportation (“DOT”), the Federal Aviation Administration (“FAA”), the European Aviation Safety Agency (“EASA”), the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (“ITAR”) and similar rules and regulations in the U.S. or abroad that are applicable to the Company or its subsidiaries.  As used herein, a “Repayment Event” means any event or condition which gives the holder of any note, debenture or other evidence of indebtedness (or any person acting on such holder’s behalf) the right to require the repurchase, redemption or repayment of all or a portion of such indebtedness by the Company or any of its subsidiaries.

 

(xvi)                         Absence of Labor Dispute.  No labor dispute with the employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent, and the Company is not aware of any existing or imminent labor disturbance by the employees of any of its or any subsidiary’s principal suppliers, manufacturers, customers or contractors, which, in either case, would result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(xvii)                      Absence of Proceedings.  Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there is no action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation before or brought by any Governmental Entity now pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened, against or affecting the Company or any of its subsidiaries, which might result in a Material Adverse Effect, or which might materially and adversely affect their respective properties or assets or the consummation of the transactions contemplated in this Agreement or the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder; and the aggregate of all pending legal or governmental proceedings to which the Company or any such subsidiary is a party or of which any of their respective properties or assets is the subject which are not described in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, including ordinary routine litigation incidental to the business, is not reasonably likely to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(xviii)                   Accuracy of Exhibits.  There are no contracts or documents which are required to be described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits thereto which have not been so described and filed as required.

 

(xix)                           Absence of Further Requirements.  No filing with, or authorization, approval, consent, license, order, registration, qualification or decree of, any Governmental Entity is necessary or required for the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder, in connection with the offering, issuance or sale of the Securities hereunder or the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except such as have been already obtained or as may be required under the 1933 Act, the 1933 Act Regulations, the rules of the NASDAQ Stock Market LLC, state securities laws, the rules of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”), or the laws and regulations of jurisdictions outside the United States.

 

(xx)                              Possession of Licenses and Permits.  The Company and its subsidiaries possess such permits, licenses, approvals, consents and other authorizations, including without limitation, such permits, licenses, approvals, consents and other authorizations required by the DOT, the FAA, EASA and the ITAR (collectively, “Governmental Licenses”), issued by the appropriate Governmental Entities necessary to conduct the business now operated by them, except where the failure so to possess would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect.  The Company and its subsidiaries are in compliance with the terms and conditions of all Governmental Licenses, except where the failure so to comply would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect.  All of the Governmental Licenses are valid and in full force and effect, except when the invalidity of such Governmental Licenses or the failure of such Governmental Licenses to be in full force and effect would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect.  Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received

 

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any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any Governmental Licenses which, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(xxi)                           Air Carrier and Citizenship Status.  The Company is not an “air carrier” and is a “citizen of the United States” in each case as defined in Section 40102(a) of Title 49 of the United States Code, as amended, and therefore is not required to hold an “air carrier operating certificate issued by the Secretary of Transportation” within the meaning of 11 U.S.C. § 1110.

 

(xxii)                        Title to Property.  The Company and its subsidiaries have good and marketable title to all real property owned by them and good title to all other properties owned by them, in each case, free and clear of all mortgages, pledges, liens, security interests, claims, restrictions or encumbrances of any kind except such as (A) are described in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or (B) do not, singly or in the aggregate, materially affect the value of such property and do not interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company or any of its subsidiaries; and all of the leases and subleases material to the business of the Company and its subsidiaries, considered as one enterprise, and under which the Company or any of its subsidiaries holds properties described in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, are in full force and effect, and neither the Company nor any such subsidiary has any notice of any material claim of any sort that has been asserted by anyone adverse to the rights of the Company or any subsidiary under any of the leases or subleases mentioned above, or affecting or questioning the rights of the Company or such subsidiary to the continued possession of the leased or subleased premises under any such lease or sublease.

 

(xxiii)                     Regulatory Environment.  The statements in the Prospectus under the headings “Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Business—We are subject to FAA regulation and similar international regulation, and our failure to comply with these regulations, or the adoption of any new laws, policies, or regulations, may have a material adverse effect on our business”, “Business—Regulation” and “Business—Safety” fairly summarize the matters therein described.

 

(xxiv)                    Possession of Intellectual Property.  The Company and its subsidiaries own or possess, or can acquire on reasonable terms, adequate patents, patent rights, licenses, inventions, copyrights, know-how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures), trademarks, service marks, trade names or other intellectual property (collectively, “Intellectual Property”) necessary to carry on the business now operated by them, and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any notice or is otherwise aware of any infringement of or conflict with asserted rights of others with respect to any Intellectual Property or of any facts or circumstances which would render any Intellectual Property invalid or inadequate to protect the interest of the Company or any of its subsidiaries therein, and which infringement or conflict (if the subject of any unfavorable decision, ruling or finding) or invalidity or inadequacy, singly or in the aggregate, would result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(xxv)                       Environmental Laws.  Except as described in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect, (A) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of any federal, state, local or foreign statute, law, rule, regulation, ordinance, code, policy or rule of common law or any judicial or administrative interpretation thereof, including any judicial or administrative order, consent, decree or judgment, relating to pollution or protection of human health, the environment (including, without limitation, ambient air, surface water, groundwater, land surface or subsurface strata) or wildlife, including, without limitation, laws and regulations relating to the release or

 

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threatened release of chemicals, pollutants, contaminants, wastes, toxic substances, hazardous substances, petroleum or petroleum products, asbestos-containing materials or mold (collectively, “Hazardous Materials”) or to the manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of Hazardous Materials (collectively, “Environmental Laws”), (B) the Company and its subsidiaries have all permits, authorizations and approvals required under any applicable Environmental Laws and are each in compliance with their requirements, (C) there are no pending or threatened administrative, regulatory or judicial actions, suits, demands, demand letters, claims, liens, notices of noncompliance or violation, investigation or proceedings relating to any Environmental Law against the Company or any of its subsidiaries and (D) there are no events or circumstances that would reasonably be expected to form the basis of an order for clean-up or remediation, or an action, suit or proceeding by any private party or Governmental Entity, against or affecting the Company or any of its subsidiaries relating to Hazardous Materials or any Environmental Laws.

 

(xxvi)                    Accounting Controls.  The Company and each of its subsidiaries maintain effective internal control over financial reporting (as defined under Rule 13-a15 and 15d-15 under the rules and regulations of the Commission under the 1934 Act (the “1934 Act Regulations”)) and a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that (A) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (B) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain accountability for assets; (C) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (D) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences.  Except as described in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, since the end of the Company’s most recent audited fiscal year, (x) there has been (1) no material weakness in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (whether or not remediated) and (2) no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting, and (y) the Company has not been advised of (1) any material weaknesses in internal controls, and (2) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the internal controls of the Company and each of its Subsidiaries.

 

(xxvii)                 Compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.  The Company has taken all necessary actions to ensure that, upon the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, it will be in compliance with all provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act that are then in effect and with which the Company is required to comply as of the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, and is actively taking steps to ensure that it will be in compliance with other provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act not currently in effect, upon the effectiveness of such provisions, or which will become applicable to the Company at all times after the effectiveness of the Registration Statement.

 

(xxviii)              Payment of Taxes.  All United States federal income tax returns of the Company and its subsidiaries required by law to be filed have been filed and all taxes shown by such returns or otherwise assessed, which are due and payable, have been paid, except assessments against which appeals have been or will be promptly taken and as to which adequate reserves have been provided.  Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the United States federal income tax returns of the Company through the fiscal year ended December 31, 2009 have been settled and no assessment in connection therewith has been made against the Company. The Company and its subsidiaries have filed all other tax returns that are required to have been filed by them pursuant to applicable foreign, state, local or other law except insofar as

 

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the failure to file such returns would not result in a Material Adverse Effect, and has paid all taxes due pursuant to such returns or pursuant to any assessment received by the Company and its subsidiaries, except for such taxes, if any, as are being contested in good faith and as to which adequate reserves have been established by the Company. The charges, accruals and reserves on the books of the Company in respect of any income and corporation tax liability for any years not finally determined are adequate to meet any assessments or re-assessments for additional income tax for any years not finally determined, except to the extent of any inadequacy that would not result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(xxix)       Insurance.  The Company and its subsidiaries carry or are entitled to the benefits of insurance, with financially sound and reputable insurers, in such amounts and covering such risks as is generally maintained by companies of established repute engaged in the same or similar business, and all such insurance is in full force and effect.  The Company has no reason to believe that it or any of its subsidiaries will not be able either (A) to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such policies expire or (B) to obtain comparable coverage from similar institutions as may be necessary or appropriate to conduct its business as now conducted and at a cost that would not result in a Material Adverse Change.  Neither of the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has since September 27, 2007, or, to the knowledge of the Company, prior to September 27, 2007, been denied any insurance coverage which it has sought or for which it has applied.

 

(xxx)        Investment Company Act.  The Company is not required, and upon the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated and the application of the net proceeds therefrom as described in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus will not be required, to register as an “investment company” under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”).

 

(xxxi)       Absence of Manipulation.  Neither the Company nor any affiliate of the Company has taken, nor will the Company or any affiliate take, directly or indirectly, any action which is designed, or would be expected, to cause or result in, or which has constitutes, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities.

 

(xxxii)      Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.  None of the Company, any of its subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee, affiliate or other person acting on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is aware of or has taken any action, directly or indirectly, that would result in a violation by such persons of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (the “FCPA”), including, without limitation, making use of the mails or any means or instrumentality of interstate commerce corruptly in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay or authorization of the payment of any money, or other property, gift, promise to give, or authorization of the giving of anything of value to any “foreign official” (as such term is defined in the FCPA) or any foreign political party or official thereof or any candidate for foreign political office, in contravention of the FCPA and the Company and, to the knowledge of the Company, its affiliates have conducted their businesses in compliance with the FCPA and have instituted and maintain policies and procedures designed to ensure, and which are reasonably expected to continue to ensure, continued compliance therewith.

 

(xxxiii)     Money Laundering Laws.  The operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as

 

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amended, the money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any Governmental Entity (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”); and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any Governmental Entity involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company, threatened.

 

(xxxiv)     OFAC.  None of the Company, any of its subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee, affiliate or other person acting on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department (“OFAC”); and the Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the sale of the Securities, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any of its subsidiaries, joint venture partners or other person, for the purpose of financing the activities of any person currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by OFAC.

 

(xxxv)      Statistical and Market-Related Data.  Any statistical and market-related data included in the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the Company believes, after reasonable inquiry, to be reliable and accurate and, to the extent required, the Company has obtained the written consent to the use of such data from such sources.

 

(xxxvi)     Employee Benefits.  Each employee benefit plan, within the meaning of Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”), that is maintained, administered or contributed to by the Company or any Subsidiary for employees or former employees of the Company and its affiliates has been maintained in compliance with its terms and the requirements of any applicable statutes, orders, rules and regulations, including but not limited to ERISA and the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), except to the extent that failure to so comply, individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.  No prohibited transaction, within the meaning of Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code has occurred with respect to any such plan excluding transactions effected pursuant to a statutory or administrative exemption except where any such transaction, individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(xxxvii)    No relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, on the one hand, and the directors, officers, stockholders, customers or suppliers of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, on the other, that is required by the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act Regulations to be described in the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus and/or any post-effective amendment thereto and that is not so described.

 

(xxxviii)   No forward-looking statement (within the meaning of Section 27A of the 1933 Act and Section 21E of the 1934 Act) contained in the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto has been made or reaffirmed without a reasonable basis or has been disclosed other than in good faith.

 

(xxxix)      Other than as contemplated by this Agreement, there is no broker, finder or other party that is entitled to receive from the Company or any Subsidiary any brokerage or finder’s fee or any other fee, commission or payment as a result of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

 

(b)           Representations and Warranties by the Selling Stockholders.  Each Selling Stockholder represents and warrants to each Underwriter as of the date hereof, as of the Applicable Time, as of the

 

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Closing Time and, if the Selling Stockholder is selling Option Securities on a Date of Delivery, as of each such Date of Delivery, and agrees with each Underwriter, as follows:

 

(i)            Accurate Disclosure.  Each Selling Stockholder has reviewed and is familiar with the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. Neither the General Disclosure Package nor the Prospectus or any amendments or supplements thereto includes any untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that such representations and warranties set forth in this subsection (b)(i) shall apply only to statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with the Selling Stockholder Information (as defined below) relating to such Selling Stockholder furnished in writing by or on behalf of such Selling Stockholder expressly for use in the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto.  “Selling Stockholder Information” means the following information about such Selling Stockholder set forth in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under “Principal and Selling Stockholders” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Description of Indebtedness—Subordinated Notes.”  Such Selling Stockholder is not prompted to sell the Securities to be sold by such Selling Stockholder hereunder by any information concerning the Company or any subsidiary of the Company which is not set forth in the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus.

 

(ii)           Authorization of this Agreement.  This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by or on behalf of such Selling Stockholder.

 

(iii)          Lock-up Agreements.          Such Selling Stockholder has duly authorized, executed and delivered to the Underwriters a lock-up agreement (the “Lock-Up Agreement”) substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto.

 

(iv)          Noncontravention.  The execution and delivery of this Agreement and the Lock-Up Agreement and the sale and delivery of the Securities to be sold by such Selling Stockholder and the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein and compliance by such Selling Stockholder with its obligations hereunder do not and will not, whether with or without the giving of notice or passage of time or both, conflict with or constitute a breach of, or default under, or result in the creation or imposition of any tax, lien, charge or encumbrance upon the Securities to be sold by such Selling Stockholder or any property or assets of such Selling Stockholder pursuant to any contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan or credit agreement, note, license, lease or other agreement or instrument to which such Selling Stockholder is a party or by which such Selling Stockholder may be bound, or to which any of the property or assets of such Selling Stockholder is subject (except for such conflicts, breaches, defaults, taxes, liens, charges or encumbrances that would not, individually or in the aggregate, adversely affect such Selling Stockholder’s ability to consummate the transactions contemplated hereunder or thereunder or otherwise have a material adverse effect on such Selling Stockholder or its business or assets), nor will such action result in any violation of the provisions of (A) the charter, by-laws, limited liability agreement, limited partnership agreement, or other organizational instrument of such Selling Stockholder, if applicable, or (B) any applicable treaty, law, statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree of any government, government instrumentality or court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over such Selling Stockholder or any of its properties.

 

(v)           Valid Title.  Such Selling Stockholder has, and as of each such Date of Delivery will have, valid title to the Securities to be sold by such Selling Stockholder free and clear of all security interests, claims, liens, equities or other encumbrances and the legal right and power, and

 

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all authorization and approval required by law, to enter into this Agreement and to sell, transfer and deliver the Securities to be sold by such Selling Stockholder or a valid security entitlement in respect of such Securities.

 

(vi)          Delivery of Securities.  The Securities to be sold by such Selling Stockholder pursuant to this Agreement are uncertificated securities or certificated securities in registered form and are not held in any securities account or by or through any securities intermediary within the meaning of the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect in the State of New York (the “UCC”).  Except as set forth below, certificates for all of the Securities to be sold by such Selling Stockholder pursuant to this Agreement, in suitable form for transfer by delivery or accompanied by duly executed instruments of transfer or assignment in blank with signatures guaranteed, have been placed in custody with [·] (the “Custodian”) with irrevocable conditional instructions to deliver such Securities to the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement.  Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, if the Representative so elects, delivery of the Securities to be sold by such Selling Stockholder may be made by credit through full FAST transfer to the account at The Depository Trust Company designated by the Representative.

 

(vii)         Absence of Manipulation.  Such Selling Stockholder has not taken, and will not take, directly or indirectly, any action which is designed to or which has constituted or would be expected to cause or result in stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities.

 

(viii)        Absence of Further Requirements.  No filing with, or consent, approval, authorization, order, registration, qualification or decree of any arbitrator, court, governmental body, regulatory body, administrative agency or other authority, body or agency, domestic or foreign, is necessary or required for the performance by each Selling Stockholder of its obligations hereunder or the Lock-Up Agreement, or in connection with the sale and delivery of the Securities hereunder or the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except such as have been already obtained or as may be required under the 1933 Act, the 1933 Act Regulations or state securities laws or the rules of FINRA.

 

(ix)         No Registration or Other Similar Rights.  Such Selling Stockholder does not have any registration or other similar rights to have any equity or debt securities registered for sale by the Company under the Registration Statement or included in the offering contemplated by this Agreement, other than those rights that have been disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and have been validly waived.

 

(x)            No Free Writing ProspectusesSuch Selling Stockholder has not prepared or had prepared on its behalf or used or referred to, any “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405), and has not distributed any written materials in connection with the offer or sale of the Securities.

 

(xi)           No Association with FINRA.  Neither such Selling Stockholder nor any of its affiliates directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, or is controlled by, or is under common control with any member firm of FINRA or is a person associated with a member (within the meaning of the FINRA By-Laws) of FINRA.

 

(c)           Officer’s Certificates.  Any certificate signed by any officer of the Company or any of its subsidiaries addressed and delivered to the Representative or to counsel for the Underwriters shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to each Underwriter as to the matters covered thereby; and any certificate signed by or on behalf of the Selling Stockholders as such and delivered to the

 

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Representative or to counsel for the Underwriters pursuant to the terms of this Agreement shall be deemed a representation and warranty by such Selling Stockholder to the Underwriters as to the matters covered thereby.

 

SECTION 2.           Sale and Delivery to Underwriters; Closing.

 

(a)           Initial Securities.  On the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company agrees to sell to each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, and each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, agrees to purchase from the Company, at the price per share set forth in Schedule A, that proportion of the number of Initial Securities set forth in Schedule B opposite the name of the Company, which the number of Initial Securities set forth in Schedule A opposite the name of such Underwriter, plus any additional number of Initial Securities which such Underwriter may become obligated to purchase pursuant to the provisions of Section 10 hereof, bears to the total number of Initial Securities, subject, in each case, to such adjustments among the Underwriters as the Representative in its sole discretion shall make to eliminate any sales or purchases of fractional shares.

 

(b)           Option Securities.  In addition, on the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Selling Stockholders hereby grant an option to the Underwriters to purchase up to an additional [·] shares of Common Stock, as set forth in Schedule B, at the price per share set forth in Schedule A, less an amount per share equal to any dividends or distributions declared by the Company and payable on the Initial Securities but not payable on the Option Securities.  The option hereby granted will expire 30 days after the date hereof and may be exercised in whole or in part from time to time only for the purpose of covering overallotments made in connection with the offering and distribution of the Initial Securities upon notice by the Representative to the Selling Stockholders setting forth the number of Option Securities as to which the several Underwriters are then exercising the option and the time and date of payment and delivery for such Option Securities.  Any such time and date of delivery (a “Date of Delivery”) shall be determined by the Representative, but shall not be later than seven full business days after the exercise of said option, nor in any event prior to the Closing Time.  If the option is exercised as to all or any portion of the Option Securities, each of the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, will purchase that proportion of the total number of Option Securities then being purchased which the number of Initial Securities set forth in Schedule A opposite the name of such Underwriter bears to the total number of Initial Securities, subject, in each case, to such adjustments as the Representative in its sole discretion shall make to eliminate any sales or purchases of fractional shares.

 

(c)           Payment.  Payment of the purchase price for, and delivery of certificates for, the Initial Securities shall be made at the offices of DLA Piper LLP (US), 500 — 8th Street NW, Washington, DC 20004, or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Representative and the Company, at 9:00 A.M. (New York City time) on the third business day after the date hereof (unless postponed in accordance with the provisions of Section 10), or such other time not later than ten business days after such date as shall be agreed upon by the Representative and the Company (such time and date of payment and delivery being herein called “Closing Time”).

 

In addition, in the event that any or all of the Option Securities are purchased by the Underwriters, payment of the purchase price for, and delivery of certificates for, such Option Securities shall be made at the above-mentioned offices, or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Representative and the Company and the Selling Stockholders, on each Date of Delivery as specified in the notice from the Representative to the Company and the Selling Stockholders.

 

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Payment shall be made to the Company and the Selling Stockholders by wire transfer of immediately available funds to bank accounts designated by the Company and each Selling Stockholder, as the case may be, against delivery to the Representative for the respective accounts of the Underwriters of the Securities to be purchased by them.  It is understood that each Underwriter has authorized the Representative, for its account, to accept delivery of, receipt for, and make payment of the purchase price for, the Initial Securities and the Option Securities, if any, which it has agreed to purchase.  The Representative, individually and not as a representative of the Underwriters, may (but shall not be obligated to) make payment of the purchase price for the Initial Securities or the Option Securities, if any, to be purchased by any Underwriter whose funds have not been received by the Closing Time or the relevant Date of Delivery, as the case may be, but such payment shall not relieve such Underwriter from its obligations hereunder.

 

(d)           Denominations; Registration.  Certificates for the Initial Securities and the Option Securities, if any, shall be in such denominations and registered in such names as the Representative may request in writing at least one full business day before the Closing Time or the relevant Date of Delivery, as the case may be.  The certificates for the Initial Securities and the Option Securities, if any, will be made available for examination and packaging by the Representative in The City of New York not later than 10:00 A.M. (New York City time) on the business day prior to the Closing Time or the relevant Date of Delivery, as the case may be.

 

SECTION 3.           Covenants of the Company and the Selling Stockholders.  The Company covenants, with respect to Sections 3(a)-(k), and each Selling Stockholder covenants, with respect to Section 3(k), with each Underwriter as follows:

 

(a)           Compliance with Securities Regulations and Commission Requests.  The Company, subject to Section 3(b), will comply with the requirements of Rule 430A, and will notify the Representative promptly, and confirm the notice in writing, (i) when any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement shall become effective or any amendment or supplement to the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall have been filed, (ii) of the receipt of any comments from the Commission, (iii) of any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or for additional information, (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus, or of the suspension of the qualification of the Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or of the initiation or threatening of any proceedings for any of such purposes or of any examination pursuant to Section 8(e) of the 1933 Act concerning the Registration Statement and (v) if the Company becomes the subject of a proceeding under Section 8A of the 1933 Act in connection with the offering of the Securities.  The Company will effect all filings required under Rule 424(b), in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b) (without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8)), and will take such steps as it deems necessary to ascertain promptly whether the form of prospectus transmitted for filing under Rule 424(b) was received for filing by the Commission and, in the event that it was not, it will promptly file such prospectus.  The Company will make every reasonable effort to prevent the issuance of any stop order, prevention or suspension and, if any such order is issued, to obtain the lifting thereof at the earliest possible moment.

 

(b)           Continued Compliance with Securities Laws.  The Company will comply with the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations so as to permit the completion of the distribution of the Securities as contemplated in this Agreement and in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.  If at any time when a prospectus relating to the Securities is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172 of the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 172”), would be) required by the 1933 Act to be delivered in connection with sales of the Securities, any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which it is necessary, in

 

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the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters or for the Company, to (i) amend the Registration Statement in order that the Registration Statement will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (ii) amend or supplement the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus in order that the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, will not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances existing at the time it is delivered to a purchaser or (iii) amend the Registration Statement or amend or supplement the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, in order to comply with the requirements of the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act Regulations, the Company will promptly (A) give the Representative notice of such event, (B) prepare any amendment or supplement as may be necessary to correct such statement or omission or to make the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus comply with such requirements and, a reasonable amount of time prior to any proposed filing or use, furnish the Representative with copies of any such amendment or supplement and (C) file with the Commission any such amendment or supplement; provided that the Company shall not file or use any such amendment or supplement to which the Representative or counsel for the Underwriters shall object.  The Company will furnish to the Underwriters such number of copies of such amendment or supplement as the Underwriters may reasonably request.  From the Applicable Time to the Closing Time, the Company will give the Representative notice of its intention to make any filing pursuant to the 1934 Act or the 1934 Act Regulations and will furnish the Representative with copies of any documents a reasonable amount of time prior to such proposed filing, as the case may be, and will not file or use any such document to which the Representative or counsel for the Underwriters shall reasonably object.

 

(c)           Delivery of Registration Statements.  The Company has furnished or will deliver to the Representative and counsel for the Underwriters, without charge, signed copies of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto (including exhibits filed therewith) and signed copies of all consents and certificates of experts, and will also deliver to the Representative, without charge, a conformed copy of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto (without exhibits) for each of the Underwriters.  The copies of the Registration Statement and each amendment thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

 

(d)           Delivery of Prospectuses.  The Company has delivered to each Underwriter, without charge, as many copies of each preliminary prospectus as such Underwriter reasonably requested, and the Company hereby consents to the use of such copies for purposes permitted by the 1933 Act.  The Company will furnish to each Underwriter, without charge, during the period when a prospectus relating to the Securities is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172, would be) required to be delivered under the 1933 Act, such number of copies of the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented) as such Underwriter may reasonably request.  The Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

 

(e)           Blue Sky Qualifications.  The Company will use its best efforts, in cooperation with the Underwriters, to qualify the Securities for offering and sale under the applicable securities laws of such states and other jurisdictions (domestic or foreign) as the Representative may designate and to maintain such qualifications in effect so long as required to complete the distribution of the Securities; provided, however, that the Company shall not be obligated to file any general consent to service of process or to qualify as a foreign corporation or as a dealer in securities in any jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified or to subject itself to taxation in respect of doing business in any jurisdiction in which it is not otherwise so subject.

 

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(f)            Rule 158.  The Company will timely file such reports pursuant to the 1934 Act as are necessary in order to make generally available to its securityholders as soon as practicable an earnings statement for the purposes of, and to provide to the Underwriters the benefits contemplated by, the last paragraph of Section 11(a) of the 1933 Act.

 

(g)           Use of Proceeds.  The Company will use the net proceeds received by it from the sale of the Securities in the manner described in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under “Use of Proceeds.”

 

(h)           Listing.  The Company will use its best efforts to effect and maintain the listing of the Common Stock (including the Securities) on the Nasdaq Global Market.

 

(i)            Restriction on Sale of Securities.  Except as described in the Prospectus, during a period of 180 days from the date of the Prospectus, the Company will not, without the prior written consent of the Representative, (i) directly or indirectly, offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase or otherwise transfer or dispose of any shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock or file any registration statement under the 1933 Act with respect to any of the foregoing or (ii) enter into any swap or any other agreement or any transaction that transfers, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, the economic consequence of ownership of the Common Stock, whether any such swap or transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise.  In addition, the Company will not issue any shares or rights to receive shares of Common Stock to any employee, director or officer of the Company pursuant to the Company’s 2012 Long-Term Incentive Plan unless either (A) such employee, director or officer has executed a lock-up agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit A attached hereto or (B) such shares or rights to receive such shares are subject to transfer restrictions restricting such persons from selling, transferring or otherwise disposing of such shares or rights to receive such shares until at least 180 days after the date of this Agreement.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, if (1) during the last 17 days of the 180-day restricted period the Company issues an earnings release or material news or a material event relating to the Company occurs or (2) prior to the expiration of the 180-day restricted period, the Company announces that it will issue an earnings release or becomes aware that material news or a material event will occur during the 16-day period beginning on the last day of the 180-day restricted period, the restrictions imposed in this clause (i) shall continue to apply until the expiration of the 18-day period beginning on the issuance of the earnings release or the occurrence of the material news or material event.

 

(j)            Reporting Requirements.  The Company, during the period when a Prospectus relating to the Securities is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172, would be) required to be delivered under the 1933 Act, will file all documents required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to the 1934 Act within the time periods required by the 1934 Act and 1934 Act Regulations.  Additionally, the Company shall report the use of proceeds from the issuance of the Securities as may be required under Rule 463 under the 1933 Act.

 

(k)           Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses.  Each of the Company and each Selling Stockholder agrees that, unless it obtains the prior written consent of the Representative, it will not make any offer relating to the Securities that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus,” or a portion thereof, required to be filed by the Company with the Commission or retained by the Company under Rule 433; provided that the Representative will be deemed to have consented to the Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses listed on Schedule C-2 hereto and any “road show that is a written communication” within the meaning of Rule 433(d)(8)(i) that has been reviewed by the Representative.  Each of the Company and each Selling Stockholder represents that it has

 

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treated or agrees that it will treat each such free writing prospectus consented to, or deemed consented to, by the Representative as an “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433, and that it has complied and will comply with the applicable requirements of Rule 433 with respect thereto, including timely filing with the Commission where required, legending and record keeping.  If at any time following issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conflicted or would conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or included or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company will promptly notify the Representative and will promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to eliminate or correct such conflict, untrue statement or omission.

 

(l)            If the Representative, in its sole discretion, agrees to release or waive the restrictions set forth in a lock-up agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit A for an officer or director of the Company and provides the Company with notice of the impending release or waiver at least three business days before the effective date of the release or waiver, the Company agrees to announce the impending release or waiver by a press release substantially in the form of Exhibit B hereto through a major news service at least two business days before the effective date of the release or waiver.

 

SECTION 4.           Payment of Expenses.

 

(a)           Expenses.  The Company will pay or cause to be paid all expenses incident to the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, including (i) the preparation, printing and filing of the Registration Statement (including financial statements and exhibits) as originally filed and each amendment thereto, (ii) the preparation, printing and delivery to the Underwriters of copies of each preliminary prospectus, each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto and any costs associated with electronic delivery of any of the foregoing by the Underwriters to investors, (iii) the preparation, issuance and delivery of the certificates for the Securities to the Underwriters, including any stock or other transfer taxes and any stamp or other duties payable upon the sale, issuance or delivery of the Securities to the Underwriters, (iv) the fees and disbursements of the Company’s counsel, accountants and other advisors, (v) the qualification of the Securities under securities laws in accordance with the provisions of Section 3(e) hereof, including filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection therewith and in connection with the preparation of the Blue Sky Survey and any supplement thereto, (vi) the fees and expenses of any transfer agent or registrar for the Securities, (vii) the costs and expenses of the Company relating to investor presentations on any “road show” undertaken in connection with the marketing of the Securities, including without limitation, expenses associated with the production of road show slides and graphics, fees and expenses of any consultants engaged in connection with the road show presentations, travel and lodging expenses of the representatives and officers of the Company and any such consultants, and the cost of aircraft and other transportation chartered in connection with the road show, (viii) the filing fees incident to, and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel to the Underwriters in connection with, the review by FINRA of the terms of the sale of the Securities, (ix) the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the listing of the Securities on the Nasdaq Global Market, (x) the costs and expenses (including, without limitation, any damages or other amounts payable in connection with legal or contractual liability) associated with the reforming of any contracts for sale of the Securities made by the Underwriters caused by a breach of the representation contained in the third sentence of Section 1(a)(ii), (xi) all reasonable fees and expenses of counsel for each Selling Stockholder incurred by such Selling Stockholder in connection with this Agreement and (xii) all reasonable documented out-of-pocket expenses (other than fees and disbursements of the Underwriters’ counsel) of the Underwriters.

 

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(b)           Expenses of the Selling Stockholders.  Except as otherwise provided by this Agreement, including the payment of the fees and expenses of their respective counsel pursuant to Section 5(a)(xi), and except for those expenses to be paid by the Company under the terms of that certain Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement, dated April 21, 2010, the Selling Stockholders, jointly and severally, will pay all expenses incident to the performance of the Selling Stockholders respective obligations under, and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by, this Agreement, including any stamp and other duties and stock and other transfer taxes, if any, payable upon the sale of the Securities by such Selling Stockholders to the Underwriters and their transfer between the Underwriters pursuant to an agreement between such Underwriters.

 

(c)           Termination of Agreement.  If this Agreement is terminated by the Representative in accordance with the provisions of Section 5, Section 9(a)(i) or (iii), Section 10 or Section 11 hereof, the Company shall reimburse the Underwriters for all of their out-of-pocket expenses, including the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters.

 

(d)           Allocation of Expenses.  The provisions of this Section shall not affect any agreement that the Company and the Selling Stockholders may make for the sharing of such costs and expenses.

 

SECTION 5.           Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations.  The obligations of the several Underwriters hereunder are subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company and the Selling Stockholders contained herein or in certificates of any officer of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or on behalf of any Selling Stockholder delivered pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company and each Selling Stockholder of their respective covenants and other obligations hereunder, and to the following further conditions:

 

(a)           Effectiveness of Registration Statement; Rule 430A Information.  The Registration Statement, including any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, has become effective and at Closing Time no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto has been issued under the 1933 Act, no order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus has been issued and no proceedings for any of those purposes have been instituted or are pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, contemplated; and the Company has complied with each request (if any) from the Commission for additional information.  A prospectus containing the Rule 430A Information shall have been filed with the Commission in the manner and within the time frame required by Rule 424(b) without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8) or a post-effective amendment providing such information shall have been filed with, and declared effective by, the Commission in accordance with the requirements of Rule 430A.

 

(b)           Opinion of Counsel for Company.  At the Closing Time, the Representative shall have received the opinion, dated the Closing Time, of Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy LLP, counsel for the Company, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters.  In giving such opinion such counsel may rely, as to all matters governed by the laws of jurisdictions other than the law of the States of New York and Oregon, the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware and the federal securities laws of the United States, upon the opinions of counsel satisfactory to the Representative.  Such counsel may also state that, insofar as such opinion involves factual matters, they have relied, to the extent they deem proper, upon certificates of officers and other representatives of the Company and its subsidiaries and certificates of public officials.

 

(c)           Opinion of U.S. Regulatory Counsel for the Company.  At the Closing Time, the Representative shall have received the opinion, dated the Closing Time, of Kirstein & Young, PLLC, special regulatory counsel for the Company, dated as of the Closing Time, in form and substance

 

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reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters.

 

(d)           Opinion of Canadian Counsel for Canadian Air-Crane LTD.  At the Closing Time, the Representative shall have received the opinion, dated the Closing Time, of Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, Canadian counsel for Canadian Air-Crane LTD, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters.

 

(e)           Opinion of Malaysian Counsel for Erickson Air-Crane (MALAYSIA) Sdn. Bhd.  At the Closing Time, the Representative shall have received the opinion, dated the Closing Time, of Zaid Ibrahim & Co., Malaysian counsel for Erickson Air-Crane (MALAYSIA) Sdn. Bhd, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters.

 

(f)            Opinion of Italian Counsel for European Air-Crane.  At the Closing Time, the Representative shall have received the opinion, dated the Closing Time, of Studio Tributario Societario, Italian counsel for European Air-Crane S.p.A., in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters.

 

(g)           Opinion of Australian Counsel for the Company.  At the Closing Time, the Representative shall have received the opinion, dated the Closing Time, of ResourcesLaw International, Australian counsel for the Company, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters.

 

(h)           Opinion of Greek Counsel for the Company.  At the Closing Time, the Representative shall have received the opinion, dated the Closing Time, of Ballas, Pelecanos & Associates, Greek counsel for the Company, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters.

 

(i)            Opinion of Counsel for Underwriters.  At Closing Time, the Representative shall have received the opinion, dated the Closing Time, of DLA Piper LLP (US), counsel for the Underwriters, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters in a form reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriters.  In giving such opinion such counsel may rely, as to all matters governed by the laws of jurisdictions other than the law of the State of New York, the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware and the federal securities laws of the United States, upon the opinions of counsel satisfactory to the Representative.  Such counsel may also state that, insofar as such opinion involves factual matters, they have relied, to the extent they deem proper, upon certificates of officers and other representatives of the Company and its subsidiaries and certificates of public officials.

 

(j)            Officers’ Certificate.  At the Closing Time, there shall not have been, since the date hereof or since the respective dates as of which information is given in the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, any material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, and the Representative shall have received a certificate of the Chief Executive Officer of the Company and of the Chief Financial Officer of the Company, dated the Closing Time, to the effect that (i) there has been no such material adverse change, (ii) the representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct with the same force and effect as though expressly made at and as of the Closing Time, (iii) the Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior

 

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to the Closing Time, and (iv) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement under the 1933 Act has been issued, no order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus has been issued and no proceedings for any of those purposes have been instituted or are pending or, to their knowledge, contemplated.

 

(k)           Accountant’s Comfort Letter.  At the time of the execution of this Agreement, the Representative shall have received from Grant Thornton LLP, independent registered public accounting firm for the Company, a letter, dated such date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representative, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

 

(l)            Bring-down Comfort Letter.  At the Closing Time, the Representative shall have received from Grant Thornton LLP, independent registered public accounting firm for the Company, a letter, dated as of the Closing Time, to the effect that they reaffirm the statements made in the letter furnished pursuant to subsection (k) of this Section, except that the specified date referred to shall be a date not more than three business days prior to the Closing Time.

 

(m)        Approval of Listing.  At the Closing Time, the Securities shall have been approved for listing on the NASDAQ Global Market, subject only to official notice of issuance.

 

(n)         No Objection.  FINRA has confirmed that it has not raised any objection with respect to the fairness and reasonableness of the underwriting terms and arrangements relating to the offering of the Securities.

 

(o)         Lock-up Agreements.  At the date of this Agreement, the Representative shall have received an agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto signed by the persons listed on Schedule D hereto.

 

(p)         Shares Issued to Employees, Directors or Officers. At the Closing Time, any shares or rights to receive shares of Common Stock issued or to be issued to any employee, director or officer of the Company pursuant to the Company’s 2012 Long-Term Incentive Plan (i) shall be subject to transfer restrictions restricting such persons from selling, transferring or otherwise disposing of such shares or rights to receive such shares until at least 180 days after the date of the Prospectus or (ii) such employee, director or officer has executed a lock-up agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit A attached hereto with respect to such shares or rights to receive such shares.

 

(q)           Conditions to Purchase of Option Securities.  In the event that the Underwriters exercise their option provided in Section 2(b) hereof to purchase all or any portion of the Option Securities, the representations and warranties of the Company and the Selling Stockholders contained herein and the statements in any certificates furnished by the Company, any of its subsidiaries and the Selling Stockholders hereunder shall be true and correct as of each Date of Delivery and, at the relevant Date of Delivery, the Representative shall have received:

 

(i)            Officers’ Certificate.  A certificate, dated such Date of Delivery, of the President or a Vice President of the Company and of the chief financial or chief accounting officer of the Company confirming that the certificate delivered at the Closing Time pursuant to Section 5(j) hereof remains true and correct as of such Date of Delivery.

 

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(ii)           Certificate of Selling Stockholders.  A certificate, dated such Date of Delivery, of each Selling Stockholder, to the effect that (i) the representations and warranties of each Selling Stockholder in this Agreement are true and correct with the same force and effect as though expressly made at and as of such Date of Delivery and (ii) each Selling Stockholder has complied with all agreements and all conditions on its part to be performed under this Agreement at or prior to such Date of Delivery.

 

(iii)          Opinion of Counsel for Company.  If requested by the Representative, the opinion of Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy LLP, counsel for the Company, in form and substance satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, dated such Date of Delivery, relating to the Option Securities to be purchased on such Date of Delivery and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by Section 5(b) hereof.

 

(xi)           Opinion of Counsel for the Selling Stockholders.  The Representative shall have received the opinion, dated such Date of Delivery, of Ropes & Gray LLP, counsel for the Selling Stockholders, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters relating to the Option Securities to be purchased on such Date of Delivery.  In giving such opinion such counsel may state that, insofar as such opinion involves factual matters, they have relied, to the extent they deem proper, upon certificates of officers of the Company and its subsidiaries and certificates of public officials.

 

(xii)          Opinion of Counsel for Underwriters.  If requested by the Representative, the opinion of DLA Piper LLP (US), counsel for the Underwriters, dated such Date of Delivery, relating to the Option Securities to be purchased on such Date of Delivery and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by Section 5(i) hereof.

 

(xiii)         Bring-down Comfort LetterIf requested by the Representative, a letter from Grant Thornton LLP, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representative and dated such Date of Delivery, substantially in the same form and substance as the letter furnished to the Representative pursuant to Section 5(l) hereof, except that the “specified date” in the letter furnished pursuant to this paragraph shall be a date not more than three business days prior to such Date of Delivery.

 

(r)            Additional Documents.  At the Closing Time and at each Date of Delivery (if any) counsel for the Underwriters shall have been furnished with such standard and customary documents and opinions as they may require for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated, or in order to evidence the accuracy of any of the representations or warranties, or the fulfillment of any of the conditions, herein contained; and all proceedings taken by the Company and the Selling Stockholders in connection with the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated shall be satisfactory in form and substance to the Representative and counsel for the Underwriters.

 

(s)           Termination of Agreement.  If any condition specified in this Section shall not have been fulfilled when and as required to be fulfilled, this Agreement, or, in the case of any condition to the purchase of Option Securities on a Date of Delivery which is after the Closing Time, the obligations of the several Underwriters to purchase the relevant Option Securities, may be terminated by the Representative by notice to the Company and the Selling Stockholders at any time at or prior to Closing Time or such Date of Delivery, as the case may be, and such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except as provided in Section 4 and except that Sections 1, 6, 7, 8, 15 and 16 shall survive any such termination and remain in full force and effect.

 

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SECTION 6.           Indemnification.

 

(a)           Indemnification of Underwriters.  The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its affiliates (as such term is defined in Rule 501(b) under the 1933 Act (each, an “Affiliate”)), its selling agents and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act as follows:

 

(i)            against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including the Rule 430A Information, or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact included in any preliminary prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;

 

(ii)           against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, to the extent of the aggregate amount paid in settlement of any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or of any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission; provided that (subject to Section 6(e) below) any such settlement is effected with the written consent of the Company;

 

(iii)          against any and all expense whatsoever, as incurred (including the fees and disbursements of counsel chosen by the Representative), reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission, to the extent that any such expense is not paid under (i) or (ii) above;

 

provided, however, that this indemnity agreement shall not apply to any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense to the extent arising out of any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including the Rule 430A Information, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information.

 

(b)           Indemnification of Underwriters by Selling Stockholders. Each Selling Stockholder, agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its Affiliates and selling agents and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act to the extent and in the manner set forth in clauses (a)(i), (ii) and (iii) above and in Section 6(f); provided, however, that this indemnity provision is limited to any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense to the extent arising out of any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any Selling Stockholder Information. Further, the liability under this subsection of any Selling Stockholder shall be limited to an amount equal to the aggregate gross proceeds after underwriting commissions and discounts, but before expenses, to such Selling Stockholder from the sale of Securities sold by such Selling Stockholder hereunder.

 

(c)           Indemnification of Company, Directors and Officers and Selling Stockholders.  Each Underwriter severally agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, each of its officers who signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company

 

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within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act, and each Selling Stockholder and each person, if any, who controls any Selling Stockholder within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense described in the indemnity contained in subsection (a) of this Section, as incurred, but only with respect to untrue statements or omissions, or alleged untrue statements or omissions, made in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including the Rule 430A Information, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information.

 

(d)           Actions against Parties; Notification.  Each indemnified party shall give notice as promptly as reasonably practicable to each indemnifying party of any action commenced against it in respect of which indemnity may be sought hereunder, but failure to so notify an indemnifying party shall not relieve such indemnifying party from any liability hereunder to the extent it is not materially prejudiced as a result thereof and in any event shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have otherwise than on account of this indemnity agreement.  In the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 6(a) and 6(b) above, counsel to the indemnified parties shall be selected by the Representative, and, in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 6(c) above, counsel to the indemnified parties shall be selected by the Company and the Selling Stockholders.  An indemnifying party may participate at its own expense in the defense of any such action; provided, however, that counsel to the indemnifying party shall not (except with the consent of the indemnified party) also be counsel to the indemnified party.  In no event shall the indemnifying parties be liable for fees and expenses of more than one counsel (in addition to any local counsel) separate from their own counsel for all indemnified parties in connection with any one action or separate but similar or related actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of the same general allegations or circumstances; provided, however, that, notwithstanding the foregoing, if indemnification is being sought against the Company and the Selling Stockholders, the Selling Stockholders will be entitled to engage separate counsel at their own expense.  No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified parties, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever in respect of which indemnification or contribution could be sought under this Section 6 or Section 7 hereof (whether or not the indemnified parties are actual or potential parties thereto), unless such settlement, compromise or consent (i) includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability arising out of such litigation, investigation, proceeding or claim and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party.

 

(e)           Settlement without Consent if Failure to Reimburse.  If at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel, such indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of the nature contemplated by Section 6(a)(ii) effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 45 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request, (ii) such indemnifying party shall have received notice of the terms of such settlement at least 30 days prior to such settlement being entered into and (iii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed such indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement.

 

(f)            Other Agreements with Respect to Indemnification.  The provisions of this Section shall not affect any agreement among the Company and the Selling Stockholders with respect to indemnification.

 

SECTION 7.           Contribution.  If the indemnification provided for in Section 6 hereof is for any reason unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute

 

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to the aggregate amount of such losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by such indemnified party, as incurred, (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company and the Selling Stockholders, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, from the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company and the Selling Stockholders, on the one hand, and of the Underwriters, on the other hand, in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations.

 

The relative benefits received by the Company and the Selling Stockholders, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, in connection with the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the total net proceeds from the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement (before deducting expenses) received by the Company and the Selling Stockholders, on the one hand, and the total underwriting discount received by the Underwriters, on the other hand, in each case as set forth on the cover of the Prospectus, bear to the aggregate initial public offering price of the Securities as set forth on the cover of the Prospectus.

 

The relative fault of the Company and the Selling Stockholders, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any such untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or the Selling Stockholders (with respect to the Selling Stockholder Information) or by the Underwriters and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.

 

The Company, the Selling Stockholders and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 7 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this Section 7.  The aggregate amount of losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by an indemnified party and referred to above in this Section 7 shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.

 

Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7, no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Securities underwritten by it and distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages which such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of any such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.

 

Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7, no Selling Stockholder shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the aggregate proceeds, after underwriting commissions and discounts but before expenses, attributable to such Selling Stockholder from the sale of the Securities to the Underwriters.

 

No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the 1933 Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.

 

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For purposes of this Section 7, each person, if any, who controls an Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act and each Underwriter’s Affiliates and selling agents shall have the same rights to contribution as such Underwriter, and each director of the Company, each officer of the Company who signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company or any Selling Stockholder within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company or such Selling Stockholder, as the case may be.  The Underwriters’ respective obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 7 are several in proportion to the number of Initial Securities set forth opposite their respective names in Schedule A hereto and not joint.

 

The provisions of this Section shall not affect any agreement among the Company and the Selling Stockholders with respect to contribution.

 

The obligations of the parties to this Agreement contained in this Section 7 are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available to any indemnified party at law or in equity.

 

SECTION 8.           Representations, Warranties and Agreements to Survive.  All representations, warranties and agreements contained in this Agreement or in certificates of officers of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or the Selling Stockholders submitted pursuant hereto, shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or its Affiliates or selling agents, any person controlling any Underwriter, its officers or directors, any person controlling the Company or any person controlling any Selling Stockholder and (ii) delivery of and payment for the Securities.

 

SECTION 9.           Termination of Agreement.

 

(a)           Termination.  The Representative, in its absolute discretion, may terminate this Agreement without liability to the Company, by notice to the Company and the Selling Stockholders, at any time at or prior to the Closing Time (i) if there has been, since the time of execution of this Agreement or since the respective dates as of which information is given in the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, any material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, or (ii) if there has occurred any material adverse change in the financial markets in the United States or the international financial markets, any outbreak of hostilities or escalation thereof or other calamity or crisis or any change or development involving a prospective change in national or international political, financial or economic conditions, in each case the effect of which is such as to make it, in the judgment of the Representative, impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the completion of the offering or to enforce contracts for the sale of the Securities, or (iii) if trading in any securities of the Company has been suspended or materially limited by the Commission or the Nasdaq Global Market, or (iv) if trading generally on the American Stock Exchange or the New York Stock Exchange or in the Nasdaq Global Market has been suspended or materially limited, or minimum or maximum prices for trading have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices have been required, by any of said exchanges or by order of the Commission, FINRA or any other governmental authority, or (v) a material disruption has occurred in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services in the United States or with respect to Clearstream or Euroclear systems in Europe, or (vi) if a banking moratorium has been declared by either Federal or New York authorities.

 

(b)           Liabilities.  If this Agreement is terminated pursuant to this Section, such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except as provided in Section 4 hereof, and

 

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provided further that Sections 1, 6, 7, 8, 15 and 16 shall survive such termination and remain in full force and effect.

 

SECTION 10.         Default by One or More of the Underwriters.  If one or more of the Underwriters shall fail at Closing Time or a Date of Delivery to purchase the Securities which it or they are obligated to purchase under this Agreement (the “Defaulted Securities”), the Representative shall have the right, within 24 hours thereafter, to make arrangements for one or more of the non-defaulting Underwriters, or any other underwriters, to purchase all, but not less than all, of the Defaulted Securities in such amounts as may be agreed upon and upon the terms herein set forth; if, however, the Representative shall not have completed such arrangements within such 24-hour period, then:

 

(i)            if the number of Defaulted Securities does not exceed 10% of the number of Securities to be purchased on such date, each of the non-defaulting Underwriters shall be obligated, severally and not jointly, to purchase the full amount thereof in the proportions that their respective underwriting obligations hereunder bear to the underwriting obligations of all non-defaulting Underwriters, or

 

(ii)           if the number of Defaulted Securities exceeds 10% of the number of Securities to be purchased on such date, this Agreement or, with respect to any Date of Delivery which occurs after the Closing Time, the obligation of the Underwriters to purchase, and the Selling Stockholders to sell, the Option Securities to be purchased and sold on such Date of Delivery, shall terminate without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter (except that if such default occurs with respect to Option Securities after the Closing Time, this Agreement will not terminate as to Securities purchased prior to such termination).

 

No action taken pursuant to this Section shall relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of its default.

 

In the event of any such default which does not result in a termination of this Agreement or, in the case of a Date of Delivery which is after the Closing Time, which does not result in a termination of the obligation of the Underwriters to purchase and the Company to sell the relevant Option Securities, as the case may be, either the (i) Representative or (ii) the Company and any Selling Stockholder shall have the right to postpone Closing Time or the relevant Date of Delivery, as the case may be, for a period not exceeding seven days in order to effect any required changes in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements.  As used herein, the term “Underwriter” includes any person substituted for an Underwriter under this Section 10.

 

SECTION 11.         Default by one or more of the Selling Stockholders or the Company.  (a) If a Selling Stockholder shall fail at the Closing Time or a Date of Delivery, as the case may be, to sell and deliver the number of Securities which such Selling Stockholder is obligated to sell hereunder, and the remaining Selling Stockholders do not exercise the right hereby granted to increase, pro rata or otherwise, the number of Securities to be sold by them hereunder to the total number to be sold by all Selling Stockholders as set forth in Schedule B hereto, then the Underwriters may, at the option of the Representative, by notice from the Representative to the Company and the non-defaulting Selling Stockholders, either (i) terminate this Agreement without any liability on the fault of any non-defaulting party except that the provisions of Sections 1, 4, 6, 7, 8, 15 and 16 shall remain in full force and effect or (ii) elect to purchase the Securities which the non-defaulting Selling Stockholders and the Company have agreed to sell hereunder.  No action taken pursuant to this Section 11 shall relieve any Selling Stockholder so defaulting from liability, if any, in respect of such default.

 

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In the event of a default by any Selling Stockholder as referred to in this Section 11, the Representative, the Company and the non-defaulting Selling Stockholders shall have the right to postpone the Closing Time or any Date of Delivery, as the case may be, for a period not exceeding seven days in order to effect any required change in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements.

 

(b)  If the Company shall fail at the Closing Time or a Date of Delivery, as the case may be, to sell the number of Securities that it is obligated to sell hereunder, then this Agreement shall terminate without any liability on the part of any nondefaulting party; provided, however, that the provisions of Sections 1, 4, 6, 7, 8, 15 and 16 shall remain in full force and effect.  No action taken pursuant to this Section shall relieve the Company from liability, if any, in respect of such default.

 

SECTION 12.         Notices.  All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or transmitted by any standard form of telecommunication.  Notices to the Underwriters shall be directed to Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated, One South Street, 15th Floor, Baltimore, Maryland 21202, attention of ·; notices to the Company shall be directed to it at Erickson Air-Crane Incorporated, 5550 S.W. Macadam Avenue, Suite 200, Portland, Oregon 97239, attention General Counsel; and notices to the Selling Stockholders shall be directed to Centre Lane Partners, 60 East 42nd Street, Suite 1400, New York, NY 10165, attention of Quinn Morgan.

 

SECTION 13.         No Advisory or Fiduciary Relationship.  Each of the Company and each Selling Stockholder acknowledges and agrees that (a) the purchase and sale of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement, including the determination of the initial public offering price of the Securities and any related discounts and commissions, is an arm’s-length commercial transaction between the Company and the Selling Stockholder, on the one hand, and the several Underwriters, on the other hand, (b) in connection with the offering of the Securities and the process leading thereto, each Underwriter is and has been acting solely as a principal and is not the agent or fiduciary of the Company, any of its subsidiaries or any Selling Stockholder, or its respective stockholders, creditors, employees or any other party, (c) no Underwriter has assumed or will assume an advisory or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Company or any Selling Stockholder with respect to the offering of the Securities or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether such Underwriter has advised or is currently advising the Company, any of its subsidiaries or any Selling Stockholder on other matters) and no Underwriter has any obligation to the Company or any Selling Stockholder with respect to the offering of the Securities except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement, (d) the Underwriters and their respective affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of each of the Company and each Selling Stockholder, and (e) the Underwriters have not provided any legal, accounting, regulatory or tax advice with respect to the offering of the Securities and the Company and each of the Selling Stockholders has consulted its own respective legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it deemed appropriate.

 

SECTION 14.         Parties.  This Agreement shall each inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the Underwriters, the Company and the Selling Stockholders and their respective successors.  Nothing expressed or mentioned in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any person, firm or corporation, other than the Underwriters, the Company and the Selling Stockholders and their respective successors and the controlling persons and officers and directors referred to in Sections 6 and 7 and their heirs and legal representatives, any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision herein contained.  This Agreement and all conditions and provisions hereof are intended to be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Underwriters, the Company and the Selling Stockholders and their respective successors, and said controlling persons and officers and directors and their heirs and legal representatives, and for the benefit of no other person, firm or corporation.  No

 

28



 

purchaser of Securities from any Underwriter shall be deemed to be a successor by reason merely of such purchase.

 

SECTION 15.         Trial by Jury.  The Company (on its behalf and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, on behalf of its stockholders and affiliates), each of the Selling Stockholders and each of the Underwriters hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.

 

SECTION 16.         GOVERNING LAW.  THIS AGREEMENT AND ANY CLAIM, CONTROVERSY OR DISPUTE ARISING UNDER OR RELATED TO THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF, THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT REGARD TO ITS CONFLICTS OF LAW PROVISIONS.

 

SECTION 17.         Consent to Jurisdiction; Waiver of Immunity. Any legal suit, action or proceeding arising out of or based upon this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby (“Related Proceedings”) shall be instituted in the federal courts of the United States of America located in the City and County of New York, Borough of Manhattan, unless any such Federal court determines that it lacks jurisdiction over a Related Proceeding in which case such Related Proceeding shall be instituted in the courts of the State of New York, in each case located in the City and County of New York, Borough of Manhattan (collectively, the “Specified Courts”), and each party irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction (except for proceedings instituted in regard to the enforcement of a judgment of any such court (a “Related Judgment”), as to which such jurisdiction is non-exclusive) of such courts in any such suit, action or proceeding.  Service of any process, summons, notice or document by mail to such party’s address set forth above shall be effective service of process for any suit, action or other proceeding brought in any such court.  The parties irrevocably and unconditionally waive any objection to the laying of venue of any suit, action or other proceeding in the Specified Courts and irrevocably and unconditionally waive and agree not to plead or claim in any such court that any such suit, action or other proceeding brought in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum.  With respect to any Related Proceeding, each party irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, all immunity (whether on the basis of sovereignty or otherwise) from jurisdiction, service of process, attachment (both before and after judgment) and execution to which it might otherwise be entitled in the Specified Courts, and with respect to any Related Judgment, each party waives any such immunity in the Specified Courts or any other court of competent jurisdiction, and will not raise or claim or cause to be pleaded any such immunity at or in respect of any such Related Proceeding or Related Judgment, including, without limitation, any immunity pursuant to the United States Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act of 1976, as amended.

 

SECTION 18.         TIME. TIME SHALL BE OF THE ESSENCE OF THIS AGREEMENT. EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE SET FORTH HEREIN, SPECIFIED TIMES OF DAY REFER TO NEW YORK CITY TIME.

 

SECTION 19.         Partial Unenforceability.  The invalidity or unenforceability of any Section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other Section, paragraph or provision hereof.  If any Section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement is for any reason determined to be invalid or unenforceable, there shall be deemed to be made such minor changes (and only such minor changes) as are necessary to make it valid and enforceable.

 

SECTION 20.         Counterparts.  This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same Agreement.

 

29


 

SECTION 21.   Effect of Headings.  The Section headings herein are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.

 

30



 

If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please sign and return to the Company and the Attorney-in-Fact for the Selling Stockholders a counterpart hereof, whereupon this instrument, along with all counterparts, will become a binding agreement among the Underwriters, the Company and the Selling Stockholders in accordance with its terms.

 

 

 

Very truly yours,

 

 

 

ERICKSON AIR-CRANE INCORPORATED

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By

 

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[·]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By

 

 

 

As Attorney-in-Fact acting on behalf of

 

 

the Selling Stockholders named in

 

 

Schedule B hereto

 

CONFIRMED AND ACCEPTED,

 

 

as of the date first above written:

 

 

 

 

 

STIFEL, NICOLAUS & COMPANY, INCORPORATED

 

 

 

By

 

 

 

Authorized Signatory

 

 

 

For itself and as Representative of the other Underwriters named in Schedule A hereto.

 

31



 

SCHEDULE A

 

The initial public offering price per share for the Securities shall be $·.

 

The purchase price per share for the Securities to be paid by the several Underwriters shall be $·, being an amount equal to the initial public offering price set forth above less $· per share, subject to adjustment in accordance with Section 2(b) for dividends or distributions declared by the Company and payable on the Initial Securities but not payable on the Option Securities.

 

Name of Underwriter

 

Number of
Initial Securities

 

 

 

Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated

 

 

Oppenheimer & Co. Inc.

 

 

Lazard Capital Markets LLC

 

 

D.A. Davidson & Co.

 

 

 

 

 

Total

 

[·]

 

Sch A-1



 

SCHEDULE B

 

 

 

Number of Initial
Securities to be Sold

 

Maximum Number of Option
Securities to Be Sold

 

 

 

 

 

Erickson Air-Crane Incorporated

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ZM EAC LLC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ZM Private Equity Fund I, L.P.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ZM Private Equity Fund II, L.P.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total

 

 

 

 

 

Sch B-1



 

SCHEDULE C-1

 

Pricing Terms

 

1.                                       The Company is selling [·] shares of Common Stock.

 

2.                                       The Selling Stockholders have granted an option to the Underwriters, severally and not jointly, to purchase up to an additional [·] shares of Common Stock.

 

3.                                       The initial public offering price per share for the Securities shall be $·.

 

Sch C-1



 

SCHEDULE C-2

 

Free Writing Prospectuses

 

[SPECIFY EACH ISSUER GENERAL USE FREE WRITING PROSPECTUS]

 

Sch C-2



 

SCHEDULE D

 

List of Persons and Entities Subject to Lock-up

 

[To be updated]

 

Sch D-1


 

 

[Form of lock-up from directors, officers or other stockholders]

 

Exhibit A

 

·, 2012

 

Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated

as Representative of the several
  Underwriters to be named in the
  within-mentioned Underwriting Agreement

 

c/o      Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated

One South Street, 15th Floor
Baltimore, Maryland 21202

 

Re:                               Proposed Public Offering by Erickson Air-Crane Incorporated

 

Dear Sirs:

 

The undersigned, a stockholder, officer or director of Erickson Air-Crane Incorporated, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), understands that Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated (in such capacity, the “Representative”) propose to enter into a Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) with the Company and the Selling Stockholders providing for the public offering of shares (the “Securities”) of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Common Stock”).  In recognition of the benefit that such an offering will confer upon the undersigned, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the undersigned agrees with each underwriter to be named in the Underwriting Agreement that, during the period beginning on the date hereof and ending on the date that is 180 days from the date of the Underwriting Agreement (subject to extensions as discussed below) (the “Lock-Up Period”), the undersigned will not, without the prior written consent of the Representative, directly or indirectly, (i) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant for the sale of, or otherwise dispose of or transfer any shares of the Company’s Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for Common Stock, whether now owned or hereafter acquired by the undersigned or with respect to which the undersigned has or hereafter acquires the power of disposition (collectively, the “Lock-Up Securities”), or exercise any right with respect to the registration of any of the Lock-up Securities, or file or cause to be filed any registration statement in connection therewith, under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or (ii) enter into any swap or any other agreement or any transaction that transfers, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, the economic consequence of ownership of the Lock-Up Securities, whether any such swap or transaction is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or other securities, in cash or otherwise.

 

If the undersigned is an officer or director of the Company, (i) the undersigned agrees that the foregoing restrictions shall be equally applicable to any issuer-directed or “friends and family” shares of Common Stock that the undersigned may purchase in the proposed public offering; (ii) the Representative agrees that, at least three business days before the effective date of any release or waiver of the foregoing

 

A-1



 

restrictions in connection with a transfer of shares of Common Stock, the Representative will notify the Company of the impending release or waiver, and (iii) the Company has agreed in the Underwriting Agreement to announce the impending release or waiver by press release through a major news service at least two business days before the effective date of the release or waiver.  Any release or waiver granted by the Representative hereunder to any such officer or director shall only be effective two business days after the publication date of such press release.  The provisions of this paragraph will not apply if (a) the release or waiver is effected solely to permit a transfer not for consideration and (b) the transferee has agreed in writing to be bound by the same terms described in this Agreement to the extent and for the duration that such terms remain in effect at the time of the transfer.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, and subject to the conditions below, the undersigned may transfer the Lock-Up Securities without the prior written consent of the Representative, provided that (1) the Representative receives a signed lock-up agreement for the balance of the Lock-Up period from each donee, trustee, distributee, or transferee, as the case may be, (2) any such transfer shall not involve a disposition for value, (3) such transfers are not required to be reported with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Form 4 in accordance with Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and (4) the undersigned does not otherwise voluntarily effect any public filing or report regarding such transfers:

 

(i)                                    as a bona fide gift or gifts; or

 

(ii)                                to any trust for the direct or indirect benefit of the undersigned or the immediate family of the undersigned (for purposes of this lock-up agreement, “immediate family” shall mean any relationship by blood, marriage or adoption, not more remote than first cousin); or

 

(iii)                              as a distribution to limited partners or stockholders of the undersigned; or

 

(iv)                             to the undersigned’s affiliates or to any investment fund or other entity controlled or managed by the undersigned.

 

Furthermore, the undersigned may sell or otherwise dispose of shares of Common Stock of the Company during the Lock-Up Period:

 

(i)                                    that are purchased by the undersigned on the open market following the Public Offering, provided that  (A) such sales are not required to be reported in any public report or filing with the Securities Exchange Commission or otherwise and (B) the undersigned does not otherwise voluntarily effect any public filing or report regarding such sales; and

 

(ii)                                sufficient to satisfy the tax obligations incurred in connection with an award under the Company’s 2012 Long-Term Incentive Plan.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, if:

 

(1)                                  during the last 17 days of the 180-day lock-up period, the Company issues an earnings release or material news or a material event relating to the Company occurs; or

 

(2)                                  prior to the expiration of the 180-day lock-up period, the Company announces that it will release earnings results or becomes aware that material news or a material event will occur during the 16-day period beginning on the last day of the 180-day lock-up period,

 

A-2



 

The Representative may extend, by written notice to the Company, the restrictions imposed by this lock-up agreement until the expiration of the 18-day period beginning on the issuance of the earnings release or the occurrence of the material news or material event, as applicable.

 

The undersigned hereby acknowledges and agrees that written notice of any extension of the 180-day lock-up period pursuant to the previous paragraph will be delivered by the Representative to the Company (in accordance with Section 13 of the Underwriting Agreement) and that any such notice properly delivered will be deemed to have been given to, and received by, the undersigned. The undersigned further agrees that, prior to engaging in any transaction or taking any other action that is subject to the terms of this lock-up agreement during the period from the date of this lock-up agreement to and including the 34th day following the expiration of the initial 180-day lock-up period, it will give notice thereof to the Company and will not consummate such transaction or take any such action unless it has received written confirmation from the Company that the 180-day lock-up period (as may have been extended pursuant to the previous paragraph) has expired.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing in this letter agreement shall restrict (a) the sale of any Lock-Up Securities to the Underwriters pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement; (b) the exchange of Company securities in connection with a split, reclassification or recombination of the Company’s shares; (c) the conversion of any shares of the Company’s preferred stock into shares of Common Stock in accordance with the terms of the Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, provided that such Common Stock will be considered Lock-Up Securities and will remain subject to the provisions of this letter agreement; (d) the right of the Company to repurchase from the undersigned (or the right of the undersigned to sell or transfer to the Company) shares of Common Stock issued under the Company’s equity incentive plans or under agreements pursuant to which such shares were issued (or related agreements providing the Company with a right to purchase such shares or that the shares may be forfeited to the Company); or (e) the undersigned, at any time, from entering into a written plan meeting the requirements of Rule 10b5-1 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, relating to the sale of securities of the Company, if then permitted by the Company, provided that the securities subject to such plan may not be sold or otherwise transferred in manner prohibited by this letter agreement until the Lock-Up Period (as may be extended pursuant to this letter agreement) has expired, and provided, further, that the undersigned does not affect or permit to be effected any public filing or report or other public notice regarding the existence of such plan prior to the expiration of the Lock-Up Period (as may be extended pursuant to this letter agreement).

 

This letter agreement shall automatically terminate upon the date that the Company provides written notice to the Representative that the Company has determined not to proceed with the proposed public offering and is terminating this letter agreement on behalf of all of the Company’s holders of Lock-Up Securities, provided that the Company and the Representative shall not have executed the Underwriting Agreement on or prior to such date. This Lock-Up Agreement shall lapse and become null and void if the closing of the Public Offering has not occurred prior to [                              , 2012].

 

The undersigned also agrees and consents to the entry of stop transfer instructions with the Company’s transfer agent and registrar against the transfer of the Lock-Up Securities except in compliance with the foregoing restrictions.

 

A-3



 

 

Very truly yours,

 

 

 

 

 

Signature:

 

 

 

 

Print Name:

 

 

A-4



 

Exhibit B

 

[Form of Press Release]

 

Erickson Air-Crane Incorporated
[Date]

 

Erickson Air-Crane Incorporated (“Company”) announced today that Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated, the lead book-running managing underwriter in the Company’s recent initial public offering of                shares of its common stock, is [waiving] [releasing] a lock-up restriction with respect to                     shares of the Company’s common stock held by [certain officers or directors] [an officer or director] of the Company.  The [waiver] [release] will take effect on                   ,          2012, and the shares may be sold on or after such date.

 

This press release is not an offer or sale of the securities in the United States or in any other jurisdiction where such offer or sale is prohibited, and such securities may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an exemption from registration under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

 

B-1