1. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

(a) Basis of Presentation:

Our unaudited consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Willis Lease Finance Corporation and its subsidiaries (“we” or the “Company”) and have been prepared pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission for reporting on Form 10-Q. Pursuant to such rules and regulations, certain information and note disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America have been condensed or omitted. The accompanying unaudited interim consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and notes thereto, together with Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations, contained in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015.

In the opinion of management, the accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements contain all adjustments (consisting of only normal and recurring adjustments) necessary to present fairly our financial position as of March 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015, and the results of our operations for the three months ended March 31, 2016 and 2015, and our cash flows for the three months ended March 31, 2016 and 2015. The results of operations and cash flows for the period ended March 31, 2016 are not necessarily indicative of the results of operations or cash flows which may be reported for the remainder of 2016.

(b) Principals of Consolidation:

We evaluate all entities in which we have an economic interest firstly to determine whether for accounting purposes the entity is a variable interest entity or voting interest entity. If the entity is a variable interest entity we consolidate the financial statements of that entity if we are the primary beneficiary of the entities’ activities. If the entity is a voting interest entity we consolidate the entity when we have a majority of voting interests. All inter-company balances are eliminated upon consolidation.

Fair value is defined as the exchange price that would be received for an asset or paid to transfer a liability (an exit price) in the principal or most advantageous market for the asset or liability in an orderly transaction between market participants on the measurement date. Valuation techniques used to measure fair value must maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs, to the extent possible. We use a fair value hierarchy based on three levels of inputs, of which the first two are considered observable and the last unobservable, to measure fair value which are the following:

Level 1 - Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.

Level 2 - Inputs other than Level 1 that are observable, either directly or indirectly, such as quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities; quoted prices in markets that are not active; or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by observable market data for substantially the full term of the assets or liabilities.

Level 3 - Unobservable inputs that are supported by little or no market activity and that are significant to the fair value of the assets or liabilities.

Assets Measured and Recorded at Fair Value on a Nonrecurring Basis

We determine fair value of long-lived assets held and used, such as Equipment held for operating lease and Equipment held for sale, by reference to independent appraisals, quoted market prices (e.g. an offer to purchase) and other factors. An impairment charge is recorded when the carrying value of the asset exceeds its fair value.

The following table shows by level, within the fair value hierarchy, the Company’s assets measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis during the three months ended March 31, 2016 and 2015, and the gains (losses) recorded during the three months ended March 31, 2016 and 2015 on those assets:


	Assets at Fair Value																Total Losses
	March 31, 2016								March 31, 2015								Three Months Ended March 31,
	Total		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		2016		2015
	(in thousands)																(in thousands)
Equipment held for sale	$	3,307	$	—	$	3,307	$	—	$	—	$	—	$	—	$	—	$	(2,036)	$	(24)

At March 31, 2016, the Company used Level 2 inputs to measure equipment held for sale. Level 2 inputs include quoted prices for similar assets in inactive markets.

An impairment charge is recorded when the carrying value of the asset exceeds its fair value. A write-down of equipment totaling $2.0 million was recorded in the three months ended March 31, 2016 due to a management decision to consign one engine for part-out and sale, in which the asset’s net book value exceeded the estimated proceeds. A write-down of equipment totaling $24,000 was recorded in the three months ended March 31, 2015 to decrease the book value to zero for certain parts arising from part-out of an engine that will not be sold.

(d) Reclassifications:

Reclassifications have been made to our consolidated financial statements for the prior periods to conform to classifications used during the three months ended March 31, 2016.

(e) Foreign Currency Translation:

The Company’s foreign investments have been converted at rates of exchange at March 31, 2016. The changes in exchange rates in our foreign investments reported under the equity method are included in stockholders’ equity as accumulated other comprehensive income.

(f) Recent Accounting Pronouncements:

In March 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") No. 2016-09, Compensation-Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting. The updated guidance changes how companies account for certain aspects of share-based payment awards to employees, including the accounting for income taxes, forfeitures, and statutory tax withholding requirements, as well as classification in the statement of cash flows. The update to the standard is effective for the Company beginning January 1, 2017, with early application permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact the guidance will have on the Consolidated Financial Statements.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, “Leases” (topic 842). Under the new standard, the accounting for leases by lessors would basically remain unchanged from the existing concepts in ASC 840, Leases. In addition, FASB has decided that lessors would be precluded from recognizing selling profit and revenue at lease commencement for any sales-type or direct finance lease that does not transfer control of the underlying asset to the lessee. The standard will be effective for public business entities for annual periods (including interim periods), beginning after December 15, 2018, and early adoption will be permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the potential impact the adoption of the standard will have on its consolidated financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.

In July 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-11, Simplifying the Measurement of Inventory, which simplifies the measurement of inventory by requiring certain inventory to be measured at the lower of cost or net realizable value. The amendments in this ASU are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2016 and for interim periods therein. We are evaluating the impact that this new guidance will have on our consolidated financial position.

In April 2015, the FASB issued ASU. 2015-03, "Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs". ASU 2015-03 requires that debt issuance costs related to a recognized debt liability be presented in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of that debt liability, consistent with the accounting treatment for debt discounts. We have adopted ASU 2015-03 during the three-month period ended March 31, 2016. Other assets and Long-term debt, net of discount have been restated as of December 31, 2015 to reflect the retroactive reclassification of $12.6 million of debt issuance costs that have been reclassified from Other assets to Notes payable.

In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, which supersedes previous revenue recognition guidance. The new standard requires that a company recognize revenue when it transfers promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration the company expects to receive in exchange for those goods or services. Companies will need to use more judgment and estimates than under the guidance currently in effect, including estimating the amount of variable revenue to recognize over each identified performance obligation. Additional disclosures will be required to help users of financial statements understand the nature, amount and timing of revenue and cash flows arising from contracts. In July 2015, the FASB deferred the effective date for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017 (including interim reporting periods within those periods). Early adoption is permitted to the original effective date of December 15, 2016 (including interim reporting periods within those periods). The amendments may be applied retrospectively to each prior period presented or retrospectively with the cumulative effect recognized as of the date of initial application. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of adopting this new guidance on the consolidated financial statements.