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<?xml version="1.0" encoding="windows-1252"?> |
<ownershipDocument> |
| <schemaVersion> X0306 </schemaVersion> |
| <documentType> 4 </documentType> |
| <periodOfReport> 2022-08-31 </periodOfReport> |
| <notSubjectToSection16> 0 </notSubjectToSection16> |
| <issuer> |
| | <issuerCik> 0001018164 </issuerCik> |
| | <issuerName> WILLIS LEASE FINANCE CORP </issuerName> |
| | <issuerTradingSymbol> WLFC </issuerTradingSymbol> |
| | </issuer> |
| <reportingOwner> |
| | <reportingOwnerId> |
| | | <rptOwnerCik> 0001453104 </rptOwnerCik> |
| | | <rptOwnerName> Willis Austin Chandler </rptOwnerName> |
| | | </reportingOwnerId> |
| | <reportingOwnerAddress> |
| | | <rptOwnerStreet1> 4700 LYONS TECHNOLOGY PARKWAY </rptOwnerStreet1> |
| | | <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2> |
| | | <rptOwnerCity> COCONUT CREEK </rptOwnerCity> |
| | | <rptOwnerState> FL </rptOwnerState> |
| | | <rptOwnerZipCode> 33073 </rptOwnerZipCode> |
| | | <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription> |
| | | </reportingOwnerAddress> |
| | <reportingOwnerRelationship> |
| | | <isDirector> 1 </isDirector> |
| | | <isOfficer> 1 </isOfficer> |
| | | <isTenPercentOwner> 0 </isTenPercentOwner> |
| | | <isOther> 0 </isOther> |
| | | <officerTitle> Chief Executive Officer </officerTitle> |
| | | <otherText></otherText> |
| | | </reportingOwnerRelationship> |
| | </reportingOwner> |
| <nonDerivativeTable> |
| | <nonDerivativeTransaction> |
| | | <securityTitle> |
| <value> Common Stock </value> |
| </securityTitle> |
| | | <transactionDate> |
| <value> 2022-08-31 </value> |
| </transactionDate> |
| | | <transactionCoding> |
| <transactionFormType> 4 </transactionFormType> |
| <transactionCode> S </transactionCode> |
| <equitySwapInvolved> 0 </equitySwapInvolved> |
| </transactionCoding> |
| | | <transactionAmounts> |
| <transactionShares> |
| <value> 4000 </value> |
| <footnoteId id="F1"/> |
| </transactionShares> |
| <transactionPricePerShare> |
| <value> 36.1621 </value> |
| <footnoteId id="F2"/> |
| </transactionPricePerShare> |
| <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode> |
| <value> D </value> |
| </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode> |
| </transactionAmounts> |
| | | <postTransactionAmounts> |
| <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction> |
| <value> 69688 </value> |
| </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction> |
| </postTransactionAmounts> |
| | | <ownershipNature> |
| <directOrIndirectOwnership> |
| <value> D </value> |
| </directOrIndirectOwnership> |
| </ownershipNature> |
| | | </nonDerivativeTransaction> |
| | <nonDerivativeTransaction> |
| | | <securityTitle> |
| <value> Common Stock </value> |
| </securityTitle> |
| | | <transactionDate> |
| <value> 2022-09-01 </value> |
| </transactionDate> |
| | | <transactionCoding> |
| <transactionFormType> 4 </transactionFormType> |
| <transactionCode> S </transactionCode> |
| <equitySwapInvolved> 0 </equitySwapInvolved> |
| </transactionCoding> |
| | | <transactionAmounts> |
| <transactionShares> |
| <value> 3176 </value> |
| <footnoteId id="F1"/> |
| </transactionShares> |
| <transactionPricePerShare> |
| <value> 36.01 </value> |
| </transactionPricePerShare> |
| <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode> |
| <value> D </value> |
| </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode> |
| </transactionAmounts> |
| | | <postTransactionAmounts> |
| <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction> |
| <value> 66512 </value> |
| </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction> |
| </postTransactionAmounts> |
| | | <ownershipNature> |
| <directOrIndirectOwnership> |
| <value> D </value> |
| </directOrIndirectOwnership> |
| </ownershipNature> |
| | | </nonDerivativeTransaction> |
| | <nonDerivativeHolding> |
| | | <securityTitle> |
| <value> Common Stock </value> |
| </securityTitle> |
| | | <postTransactionAmounts> |
| <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction> |
| <value> 5337 </value> |
| </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction> |
| </postTransactionAmounts> |
| | | <ownershipNature> |
| <directOrIndirectOwnership> |
| <value> I </value> |
| </directOrIndirectOwnership> |
| <natureOfOwnership> |
| <value> Daughter </value> |
| <footnoteId id="F3"/> |
| </natureOfOwnership> |
| </ownershipNature> |
| | | </nonDerivativeHolding> |
| | <nonDerivativeHolding> |
| | | <securityTitle> |
| <value> Common Stock </value> |
| </securityTitle> |
| | | <postTransactionAmounts> |
| <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction> |
| <value> 7922 </value> |
| </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction> |
| </postTransactionAmounts> |
| | | <ownershipNature> |
| <directOrIndirectOwnership> |
| <value> I </value> |
| </directOrIndirectOwnership> |
| <natureOfOwnership> |
| <value> Brother </value> |
| <footnoteId id="F4"/> |
| </natureOfOwnership> |
| </ownershipNature> |
| | | </nonDerivativeHolding> |
| | <nonDerivativeHolding> |
| | | <securityTitle> |
| <value> Common Stock </value> |
| </securityTitle> |
| | | <postTransactionAmounts> |
| <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction> |
| <value> 5337 </value> |
| </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction> |
| </postTransactionAmounts> |
| | | <ownershipNature> |
| <directOrIndirectOwnership> |
| <value> I </value> |
| </directOrIndirectOwnership> |
| <natureOfOwnership> |
| <value> Son </value> |
| <footnoteId id="F5"/> |
| </natureOfOwnership> |
| </ownershipNature> |
| | | </nonDerivativeHolding> |
| | <nonDerivativeHolding> |
| | | <securityTitle> |
| <value> Common Stock </value> |
| </securityTitle> |
| | | <postTransactionAmounts> |
| <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction> |
| <value> 2654 </value> |
| </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction> |
| </postTransactionAmounts> |
| | | <ownershipNature> |
| <directOrIndirectOwnership> |
| <value> I </value> |
| </directOrIndirectOwnership> |
| <natureOfOwnership> |
| <value> Austin C. Willis 2019 Irrevocable Trust </value> |
| <footnoteId id="F6"/> |
| </natureOfOwnership> |
| </ownershipNature> |
| | | </nonDerivativeHolding> |
| | <nonDerivativeHolding> |
| | | <securityTitle> |
| <value> Common Stock </value> |
| </securityTitle> |
| | | <postTransactionAmounts> |
| <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction> |
| <value> 8692 </value> |
| </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction> |
| </postTransactionAmounts> |
| | | <ownershipNature> |
| <directOrIndirectOwnership> |
| <value> I </value> |
| </directOrIndirectOwnership> |
| <natureOfOwnership> |
| <value> CFW V 2016 Trust </value> |
| <footnoteId id="F7"/> |
| </natureOfOwnership> |
| </ownershipNature> |
| | | </nonDerivativeHolding> |
| | <nonDerivativeHolding> |
| | | <securityTitle> |
| <value> Common Stock </value> |
| </securityTitle> |
| | | <postTransactionAmounts> |
| <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction> |
| <value> 246715 </value> |
| </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction> |
| </postTransactionAmounts> |
| | | <ownershipNature> |
| <directOrIndirectOwnership> |
| <value> I </value> |
| </directOrIndirectOwnership> |
| <natureOfOwnership> |
| <value> 2019 Willis Family Trust </value> |
| <footnoteId id="F8"/> |
| <footnoteId id="F9"/> |
| </natureOfOwnership> |
| </ownershipNature> |
| | | </nonDerivativeHolding> |
| | <nonDerivativeHolding> |
| | | <securityTitle> |
| <value> Common Stock </value> |
| </securityTitle> |
| | | <postTransactionAmounts> |
| <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction> |
| <value> 405488 </value> |
| </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction> |
| </postTransactionAmounts> |
| | | <ownershipNature> |
| <directOrIndirectOwnership> |
| <value> I </value> |
| </directOrIndirectOwnership> |
| <natureOfOwnership> |
| <value> CFW Partners </value> |
| <footnoteId id="F10"/> |
| </natureOfOwnership> |
| </ownershipNature> |
| | | </nonDerivativeHolding> |
| | </nonDerivativeTable> |
| <derivativeTable></derivativeTable> |
| <footnotes> |
| | <footnote id="F1"> Shares sold pursuant to a 10b5-1 transaction. </footnote> |
| | <footnote id="F2"> Represents the weighted average sales price per share. The shares were sold at prices ranging from $36.01 to $37.00. The reporting person has provided to the issuer, and will provide to any security holder of the issuer or the SEC staff, upon request, information regarding the number of shares sold at each price within the range. </footnote> |
| | <footnote id="F3"> Wilder Grace Willis 2019 Trust, Austin Willis Trustee </footnote> |
| | <footnote id="F4"> Charles F. Willis V 2019 Trust, Austin Willis Trustee </footnote> |
| | <footnote id="F5"> Rooster A. Willis 2019 Trust, Austin Willis Trustee </footnote> |
| | <footnote id="F6"> Austin C. Willis 2019 Irrevocable Trust, Mary Willis Trustee </footnote> |
| | <footnote id="F7"> Charles F. Willis V 2016 Trust, Austin Willis Trustee </footnote> |
| | <footnote id="F8"> 2019 Willis Family Trust, Austin Willis Trustee </footnote> |
| | <footnote id="F9"> Includes 213,415 shares having shared voting power of CFW Partners with Charles F. Willis IV </footnote> |
| | <footnote id="F10"> Shared voting power of CFW Partners with Charles F. Willis IV </footnote> |
| | </footnotes> |
| <remarks></remarks> |
| <ownerSignature> |
| | <signatureName> /s/ Austin C. Willis </signatureName> |
| | <signatureDate> 2022-09-02 </signatureDate> |
| | </ownerSignature> |
| </ownershipDocument> |