(3) Investments

On May 25, 2011, we entered into an agreement with Mitsui & Co., Ltd. to participate in a joint venture formed as a Dublin-based Irish limited company — Willis Mitsui & Company Engine Support Limited (“WMES”) for the purpose of acquiring and leasing jet engines. Each partner holds a fifty percent interest in the joint venture and the Company uses the equity method in recording investment activity. The investment has increased to $32.5 million as of December 31, 2016 as a result of the Company making $5.5 million in capital contributions to WMES, receiving $1.2 million in distributions, recording $1.2 million as deferred gain as a result of the Company selling four engines to WMES and the Company’s share of WMES reported income of $2.0 million during the year ended December 31, 2016.

On June 3, 2014 we entered into an agreement with China Aviation Supplies Import & Export Corporation (“CASC”) to participate in a joint venture named CASC Willis Engine Lease Company Limited (“CASC Willis”), a new joint venture based in Shanghai, China. Each partner holds a fifty percent interest in the joint venture. In October 2014, we made a $15.0 million initial capital contribution, representing our fifty percent, up-front funding contribution to the new joint venture. The company acquires and leases jet engines to Chinese airlines and concentrates on meeting the fast growing demand for leased commercial aircraft engines and aviation assets in the People’s Republic of China. CASC Willis owned a lease portfolio of 3 engines with a net book value of $49.1 million as of December 31, 2016. Our investment in the joint venture is $12.9 million as of December 31, 2016. During 2016, CASC was reorganized, with portions of its partnership interest in CASC Willis being transferred to three Chinese airlines and another government-owned entity. The 2016 CASC reorganization resulted in no voting structure change to the joint venture.


Years Ending December 31, 2016 and 2015 (in thousands)	WMES		CASC Willis		Total
Investment in joint ventures as of December 31, 2014	$	26,672	$	14,918	$	41,590
Investment		630		—		630
Earnings (losses) from joint ventures		1,274		(99)		1,175
Distribution		(1,304)		—		(1,304)
Foreign Currency Translation Adjustment		—		(796)		(796)
Investment in joint ventures as of December 31, 2015	$	27,272	$	14,023	$	41,295
Investment		5,545		—		5,545
Earnings (losses) from joint ventures		2,032		(219)		1,813
Deferred gain on engine sale		(1,212)		—		(1,212)
Distribution		(1,167)		—		(1,167)
Foreign Currency Translation Adjustment		—		(868)		(868)
Investment in joint ventures as of December 31, 2016	$	32,470	$	12,936	$	45,406

“Other revenue” on the Consolidated Statement of Income includes management fees earned of $2.1 million, $1.7 million and $2.0 million during the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively, related to the servicing of engines for the WMES lease portfolio. During 2015, WMES consigned an engine for part out and sale to our Willis Aero subsidiary. The value of the engine is $0.1 million as of December 31, 2016.

Summarized financial information for 100% of WMES is presented in the following table:


	Years Ended December 31,
	2016		2015		2014
	(in thousands)
Revenue	$	35,463	$	26,909	$	25,757
Expenses		31,669		24,574		23,150
WMES net income	$	3,794	$	2,335	$	2,607

				December 31,		December 31,
				2016		2015
			(in thousands)
Total assets			$	293,299	$	256,126
Total liabilities				219,881		195,258
Total WMES net equity			$	73,418	$	60,868