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Variable interest entities | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2017
Variable Interest Entities [Abstract] |
Variable interest entities | Variable interest entities Our leasing and financing activities require us to use many forms of entities to achieve our business objectives and we have participated to varying degrees in the design and formation of these entities. Our involvement in VIEs varies and includes being a passive investor in the VIE with involvement from other parties, managing and structuring all the VIE’s activities, or being the sole shareholder of the VIE. During the year ended December 31, 2017, we did not provide any financial support to any of our VIEs that we were not contractually obligated to provide. Consolidated VIEs As of December 31, 2017 and 2016, substantially all assets and liabilities presented in our Consolidated Balance Sheets were held in consolidated VIEs. The assets of our consolidated VIEs that can only be used to settle obligations of these entities, and the liabilities of these VIEs for which creditors do not have recourse to our general credit, are disclosed in our Consolidated Balance Sheets under Supplemental balance sheet information. Further details of debt held by our consolidated VIEs are disclosed in Note 15—Debt. Wholly-owned ECA and Ex-Im financing vehicles We have created certain wholly-owned subsidiaries for the purpose of purchasing aircraft and obtaining financing secured by such aircraft. The secured debt is guaranteed by the European ECAs and the Export-Import Bank of the United States. These entities meet the definition of a VIE because they do not have sufficient equity to operate without subordinated financial support from us in the form of intercompany notes. We have determined that we are the PB of these entities because we control and manage all aspects of these entities, including directing the activities that most significantly affect the entities’ economic performance, we absorb the majority of the risks and rewards of these entities and we guarantee the activities of these entities. Other secured financings We have created a number of wholly-owned subsidiaries for the purpose of obtaining secured financings. These entities meet the definition of a VIE because they do not have sufficient equity to operate without subordinated financial support from us in the form of intercompany notes. We have determined that we are the PB of these entities because we control and manage all aspects of these entities, including directing the activities that most significantly affect the entities’ economic performance, we absorb the majority of the risks and rewards of these entities and we guarantee the activities of these entities. Wholly-owned leasing entities We have created wholly-owned subsidiaries for the purpose of facilitating aircraft leases with airlines. These entities meet the definition of a VIE because they do not have sufficient equity to operate without subordinated financial support from us in the form of intercompany notes, which serve as equity. We have determined that we are the PB of these entities because we control and manage all aspects of these entities, including directing the activities that most significantly affect the entities’ economic performance, we absorb the majority of the risks and rewards of these entities and we guarantee the activities of these entities. Limited recourse financing structures We have established entities to obtain secured financings for the purchase of aircraft in which we have variable interests. These entities meet the definition of a VIE because they do not have sufficient equity to operate without subordinated financial support from us in the form of intercompany notes. The loans of these entities are non-recourse to us except under limited circumstances. We have determined that we are the PB of these entities because we control and manage all aspects of these entities, including directing the activities that most significantly affect the entities’ economic performance, and we absorb the majority of the risks and rewards of these entities. AerCap Partners I AerCap Partners I Holding Limited (“AerCap Partners I”) is a 50%-50% joint venture owned by us and Deucalion Aviation Funds. We provide lease management, insurance management and aircraft asset management services to AerCap Partners I for a fee. We have determined that we are the PB of the entity because we direct the activities that most significantly affect the economic performance of the entity and we absorb a significant portion of the risks and rewards of the entity. As of December 31, 2017, AerCap Partners I had a portfolio consisting of seven Boeing 737NG aircraft. As of December 31, 2017, AerCap Partners I had $59.9 million outstanding under a senior debt facility, which is guaranteed by us, and $63.8 million of subordinated debt outstanding, consisting of $31.9 million from us and $31.9 million from our joint venture partner. AerCap Partners II AerCap Partners 2 Holding Limited (“AerCap Partners II”) is a 50%-50% joint venture owned by us and Deucalion Aviation Funds. We provided lease management, insurance management and aircraft asset management services to AerCap Partners II for a fee. We have determined that we continue to be the PB of the entity because we direct the activities that most significantly affect the economic performance of the entity and we absorb a significant portion of the risks and rewards of the entity. As of December 31, 2017, AerCap Partners II did not own any aircraft. As of December 31, 2017, AerCap Partners II had $16.8 million of subordinated debt outstanding, consisting of $8.4 million from us and $8.4 million from our joint venture partner. The ECA senior debt facility was repaid in full in December 2017. The $16.8 million of subordinated debt was repaid in full in February 2018. AerCap Partners 767 AerCap Partners 767 Limited (“AerCap Partners 767”) is a 50%-50% joint venture owned by us and Deucalion Aviation Funds. We provide lease management, insurance management and aircraft asset management services to AerCap Partners 767 for a fee. We have determined that we are the PB of the entity because we direct the activities that most significantly affect the economic performance of the entity and we absorb a significant portion of the risks and rewards of the entity. As of December 31, 2017, AerCap Partners 767 had a portfolio consisting of two Boeing 767-300ER aircraft. As of December 31, 2017, AerCap Partners 767 had $11.5 million outstanding under a senior debt facility, which is limited recourse to us and $31.0 million of subordinated debt outstanding, consisting of $15.5 million from us and $15.5 million from our joint venture partner. ALS II The ALS II senior Class A notes were repaid in full in January 2017. Prior to May 31, 2017, we held a 5% equity investment in ALS II and provided lease management, insurance management and aircraft asset management services to ALS II for a fee. On May 31, 2017, the ALS II structure was unwound and we became owner of 100% of the equity and we continue to hold 100% of the subordinated fixed rate deferrable interest asset-backed notes (“ALS II Class E-1 Notes”) in ALS II. We have determined that we continue to be the PB of the entity because we continue to direct the activities that most significantly affect the economic performance of the entity and to absorb the majority of the risks and rewards of the entity. As of December 31, 2017, ALS II had a portfolio consisting of 25 Airbus A320 Family aircraft. As of December 31, 2017, ALS II had $350.0 million of senior ALS II Class E-1 Notes outstanding due to us. AerFunding We hold a 5% equity investment and 100% of the subordinated fixed rate deferrable interest asset-backed notes (“AerFunding Class E-1 Notes”) in AerFunding. We provide lease management, insurance management and aircraft asset management services to AerFunding for a fee. We have determined that we are the PB of the entity because we direct the activities that most significantly affect the economic performance of the entity and we absorb the majority of the risks and rewards of the entity. As of December 31, 2017, AerFunding had a portfolio consisting of four Airbus A320 Family aircraft, two Airbus A320neo Family aircraft, one Airbus A330 aircraft, one Airbus A350 aircraft, six Boeing 737NG aircraft and four Boeing 787 aircraft. As of December 31, 2017, AerFunding had $878.4 million outstanding under a secured revolving credit facility and $272.8 million of AerFunding Class E-1 Notes outstanding due to us. Non-consolidated VIEs The following table presents our maximum exposure to loss in non-consolidated VIEs as of December 31, 2017 and 2016:
| As of December 31,
| 2017 |  | 2016
Carrying value of investments (Note 11) | $ | 122,946 |  |  | $ | 118,783 |
Debt guarantees | 104,867 |  |  | 125,429 |
Maximum exposure to loss | $ | 227,813 |  |  | $ | 244,212 |
The maximum exposure to loss represents the amount that would be absorbed by us in the event that all of our assets held in the VIEs, for which we are not the PB, had no value and outstanding debt guarantees were called upon in full. AerDragon AerDragon is a joint venture with 50% owned by China Aviation Supplies Holding Company and the other 50% owned equally by us, affiliates of Crédit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank, and East Epoch Limited. This joint venture enhances our presence in the Chinese market and our ability to lease our aircraft and engines throughout the entire Asia/Pacific region. We provide accounting related services to AerDragon, and guaranteed debt previously secured by certain aircraft which AerDragon purchased directly from us for a fee. As of December 31, 2017 and 2016, we guaranteed debt of nil and $3.4 million, respectively, for AerDragon. The guaranteed debt was repaid in full in August 2017, and therefore the obligations of AerDragon are non-recourse to us. As of December 31, 2017, AerDragon had 29 narrowbody aircraft on lease to ten airlines. We have determined that AerDragon is a VIE, in which we do not have control and therefore we are not the PB. We do have significant influence and, accordingly, we account for our investment in AerDragon under the equity method of accounting. AerLift AerLift is a joint venture in which we have a 39% interest. We provide asset and lease management, insurance management and cash management services to AerLift for a fee. As of December 31, 2017 and 2016, we guaranteed debt of $104.9 million and $122.0 million, respectively, for AerLift. Other than the debt for which we act as a guarantor, the debt obligations of AerLift are non-recourse to us. As of December 31, 2017, AerLift owned four widebody aircraft. We have determined that AerLift is a VIE in which we do not have control and therefore we are not the PB. We do have significant influence and, accordingly, we account for our investment in AerLift under the equity method of accounting. ACSAL In June 2013, we completed a transaction under which we sold eight Boeing 737-800 aircraft to ACSAL, an affiliate of Guggenheim, in exchange for cash, and we made a capital contribution to ACSAL in exchange for 19% of its equity. We provide aircraft asset and lease management services to ACSAL for a fee. As of December 31, 2017, ACSAL continued to own the eight aircraft. We have determined that ACSAL is a VIE in which we do not have control and therefore we are not the PB. We do have significant influence and, accordingly, we account for our investment in ACSAL under the equity method of accounting. Peregrine In December 2017, we invested in Peregrine, a vehicle established by NCB Capital for the purpose of acquiring a portfolio of 21 aircraft from us. We will have a 9.5% investment in Peregrine. We provide asset and lease management, insurance management, accounting and cash management services to Peregrine for a fee. As of December 31, 2017, Peregrine had completed the acquisition of four of the 21 aircraft. The 17 remaining aircraft are expected to be acquired during early 2018. We have determined that Peregrine is a VIE in which we do not have control and therefore we are not the PB. We account for our investment in Peregrine under the cost method of accounting. Other variable interest entities We have variable interests in other entities in which we have determined we are not the PB because we do not have the power to direct the activities that most significantly affect the entities’ economic performance. Our variable interest in these entities consists of servicing fees that we receive for providing aircraft management services.

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- Definition Variable Interest Entities [Abstract] + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition The entire disclosure for a variable interest entity (VIE), including but not limited to, judgments and assumptions in determining whether to consolidate and in identifying the primary beneficiary, gain (loss) recognized on the initial consolidation of the VIE, terms of arrangements, amounts and classification of the VIE's assets and liabilities, and the entity's maximum exposure to loss. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 810 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 5A -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64801991&loc=SL6759159-111685 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 810 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64801991&loc=d3e5728-111685 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 810 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64801991&loc=d3e5710-111685 + Details
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