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. The initial capital contribution by the Company for its investment in WMES was $8.0 million. The Company provided the initial lease portfolio by transferring 7 engines to the joint venture in June 2011. In addition, the Company made $20.4 million capital contributions to WMES from 2011 through 2014 for the purchase of 21 engines from third parties, increasing the number of engines in the lease portfolio to 28. The Company made $0.6 million of capital contributions to WMES and recorded $0.6 million as a result of the Company’s share of WMES reported earnings during the six months ended June 30, 2015. The $29.0 million of capital contributions has been partially offset by $3.6 million, resulting in a net investment of $25.4 million, which has been reduced by $0.8 million in distributions and increased further to $28.0 million as of June 30, 2015 as a result of the Company’s share of WMES reported earnings to date. The $3.6 million reduction in investment represents 50% of the $7.2 million gain related to the sale by the Company of the 7 engines to WMES.

On June 3, 2014 we entered into an agreement with China Aviation Supplies Import & Export Corporation Limited (“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, each partner made a $15.0 million initial capital contribution representing the up-front funding for the new joint venture. The new company will acquire and lease jet engines to Chinese airlines and will concentrate on meeting the fast growing demand for leased commercial aircraft engines and aviation assets in the People’s Republic of China. The investment has been reduced to $14.8 million as of June 30, 2015 as a result of the Company’s share of CASC Willis reported losses to date.


Six Months Ended June 30, 2015	WMES		CASC Willis		Total
	(in thousands)
Investment in joint ventures as of December 31, 2014	$	26,672	$	14,918	$	41,590
Capital contribution		630		—		630
Earnings (loss) from joint venture		644		(75)		569
Investment in joint ventures as of June 30, 2015	$	27,946	$	14,843	$	42,789