A dedicated landing gear division was the next logical step for APOC’s expanding asset portfolio as it offers repair management as a service to operators and has a portfolio of audited LDG repair shops with which it manages repairs as needed
8 February 2021: APOC Aviation’s landing gear division recently concluded its first landing gear deal with Avion Express Malta. APOC exchanged their ran-out gear with a freshly overhauled A321-200 from stock.
Avion Express Malta is a significant customer for APOC’s comprehensive narrow body parts service. Now they have joined a group of APOC’s specialized landing gear division customers. Avion Express Malta is a Maltese based ACMI and aircraft leasing operator.
Karolis Jurkevicius, VP Landing Gear Trading, APOC Aviation said, “Finding ways to support operators at this time is vital and if, through our investments, we can help them turn their opportunities into sustainable business for the future, then we’ve done our job. About a year ago we discussed their forthcoming requirements for LDGs end 2020/early 2021, and we developed a good understanding of how APOC could tailor our flexible services for their operation. So pre-COVID we knew what would be needed and due to APOC’s careful business strategy we had the financial ability to source the right assets and have them ready to go in overhauled condition.”
Marko Jalmari Halla, Technical Director at Avion Express Malta added, “To be able to benefit from APOC Aviation’s specialist experience is extremely important because we want to concentrate on what we are good at, which is operating the aircraft. Apart from their focus on fresh, young LDG assets with low cycles, they have a great global network for repairs, and they can be extremely flexible regarding the structure of a deal. On this occasion it was best for us to exchange the LDG and we were 10 per cent confident that their technical experts would manage the airworthiness certification quickly to minimize TAT.”
A dedicated landing gear division was the next logical step for APOC’s expanding asset portfolio as it offers repair management as a service to operators and has a portfolio of audited LDG repair shops with which it manages repairs as needed. It also works with third-party experts to tear down LDGs for piece parts for sale, or to support customers’ on-going overhaul projects. The lessee can place the LDGs on lease in workshops of their choice; they are not tied into repair contracts as part of the lease agreement. Most customers like this flexibility which is unusual in the marketplace.
Currently around 40 per cent of APOC’s LDG stock is leased, 30 per cent is allocated to exchange programs and the remaining 30 per cent is set up for additional lease opportunities, part-out projects and sales. They are now looking out to purchase prime LDGs for stock and increase our inventory by about 50per cent over the next 6 months.
