The Netherlands, July 28th 2025: APOC has signed a twelve-month green-time lease agreement for a CFM56-5A engine with Hamburg-based global operator, Condor. Secured as a ‘spare’ engine by Condor’s technical team, it is anticipated that it will be installed immediately on one of the fleet’s A320 aircraft throughout the duration of the lease.

Condor has previously leased engines from APOC and this asset will return to the APOC engine portfolio ready for teardown and part-out next year.

Bruce Ansell, Technical Manager Engines Division at APOC Aviation says that the CFM56-5A engine type is in short supply. “A significant number of CFM56-5A engines are still in operation, supporting older Airbus A320 family aircraft. Due to increased demand and limited availability, prices for CFM56 engines and their components have been rising, and we have been building our lease portfolio of these engine variants.”

Ansell goes on to say that operators are focusing on reliability and maintenance solutions that minimise downtime thus maximising aircraft utilisation. “Although new engine types are gaining traction, with current availability and reliability issues, we see demand for CFM56 engines continuing through 2030,” he states.

Condor has been in operation for almost seventy years and annually over eight million passengers fly with Condor to around 70 destinations worldwide.

“Condor is currently renewing its short-medium-haul fleet with brand-new A320neo and A321neo. Until the completion of the modernisation we are still operating A320ceo aircraft that are maintained by Condor Technik, our own maintenance organisation,” says Ronald Restorf, Asset Manager – Condor. “For these aircraft and their maintenance, we need a reliable partner that supports us with the engine handling and whose focused portfolio is closely aligned to our lease requirement.”

Main image courtesy of Condor.

In the May 2025 issue of AviTrader MRO, Bruce Ansell, Technical Manager Engine Division, discusses APOC’s perspective on the safety and cost considerations of LLPs.

Planning engine removal for maximum efficiency is crucial. As Bruce states in the article, “LLPs are life-limited for a reason, there are safety factors in play and the loss of an LLP whilst in flight could be catastrophic. We have to trust that the OEM has got their R & D work completed and verified by the regulating authorities.”

 The Netherlands, 12th May 2025, APOC has brought in experienced senior executive, Craig Skilton, to lead its rapidly developing components division. His remit will encompass increasing market share for APOC’s growing portfolio.

“The new role of VP Components is of strategic importance as we broaden APOC’s global footprint and deploy secured capital” explains Gavin Simmonds, CEO. “Craig is a highly respected member of the aviation community with a reputation for team motivation and commercial success, coupled with extensive technology capabilities.”

The growth of APOC since its inception some ten years ago has been impressive and attracted favourable attention from both industry and investors alike, so Skilton anticipates challenging but exciting times ahead. “APOC’s dynamic and entrepreneurial approach towards doing business is refreshing” he says. “APOC has some incredible foundations which I’m excited to build upon: a recognisable and respected brand, great people, a significant financing facility – and an exponentially expanding inventory of the right products. My immediate objective is to source new assets whilst mentoring, shaping, and growing a high-performing sales team who, when armed with the right inventory, can be market leading. Key hires that have excellent industry knowledge are already in progress.

“Our mission within the airframe division is to become the ‘intuitive partner of choice’ for the A320 & B737 family of airframes and components. We’re aiming to do this by focusing on the fundamentals and being the best at what we do.”

Although his role is global, Skilton will primarily concentrate on Europe & Asia Pacific as APOC’s two key markets and within that, strengthening the organisation’s foothold in the UK. He will also work in tandem with APOC’s emergent repairs business as the Company evolves from quick-turn sales of repairable/serviceable stock to intrinsically more valuable components ready to exchange and lease.

With recent investments in aircraft spares inventory through the purchase of airframes and packages of parts, as well as larger assets such as engines and landing gear, APOC is becoming a major player in the marketplace. Simmonds adds, “I’m shaping the business to meet the needs of our airline customers: quality assets, readily available for exchange, lease or purchase. We anticipate that with APOC’s innovative business model and secure financial status we will be able to not only take advantage of investment opportunities in engines, landing gear and airframe assets, but also to wisely shape our support programmes as airlines evolve and explore new ways to operate. Craig’s insights will be invaluable as we fast-track our strategies. We are delighted that he has joined to further enhance the expanding team.”

Skilton has extensive experience in the aviation industry. Prior to joining APOC, he enjoyed a decade of leadership experience at AJW Group, playing a key role in driving strategic growth as Head of Business Development, before switching focus to lead the Company’s digital initiatives, one of those being AJW’s eCommerce Store – Eventory.

Since AJW, he founded Digital Flight, a fast-growing technology hub and helped SkySelect Inc. – a Silicon Valley-based AI-driven procurement platform for aircraft spares – before transitioning back into the parts trading environment through his current role at APOC.

APOC, the intuitive trading and leasing specialist focused on trading, stocking and leasing major engine assets and LRUs, is headquartered in The Netherlands. It has offices/representation throughout Europe (including a dedicated landing gear hub in Vilnius, Lithuania), and Singapore. With a focus on Airbus, Boeing, Embraer and ATR resources, APOC is renowned for its aviation industry expertise which underpins the energy and commitment of its team. APOC’s majority shareholder is private equity investor Egeria and the Netherlands-based fund has worked closely with the Company since 2020. It continues to drive APOC’s transformative global footprint with a focus on continued vertical integration.

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 The Netherlands, 28th April 2025 APOC Aviation, the intuitive trading and leasing specialist focused on engines, landing gear and USM components, has announced the appointment of aviation expert, Geoff Ellis, as Technical Asset Manager. 

Ellis will assist with engine leasing, powerplant acquisitions and sales, material sales & trading. His role also includes management of technical records, overseeing shop visits, managing pre-buy inspections, and handling end-of-lease returns. 

Ellis explains that it is APOC’s ambitious growth plans and opportunity to specialise in one area that that attracted him to the Company. “APOC’s strong financial backing, which ensures its continued growth, gives me an exciting opportunity to be part of a dynamic and forward-thinking team.” 

With nearly 40 years of experience in aviation, Ellis has worked across manufacturing, structural maintenance and aircraft mechanics, and holds multiple qualifications, including EASA Part 66 B1.1, B2 Avionics, and B1.3 Turbine Helicopter licenses. He has held roles in line and base maintenance, charter engineering and supervision, providing him with a well-rounded perspective in aviation maintenance. 

Bruce Ansell, APOC Technical Manager Engine Division, affirms that Ellis is a great match for APOC. “Geoff brings a wealth of experience and a deep understanding of the aviation industry, making him an invaluable addition to our team. His diverse background along with his numerous qualifications, will play a crucial role in strengthening our capabilities.” 

APOC, the intuitive trading and leasing specialist focused on trading, stocking and leasing major engine assets, landing gears and LRUs, is headquartered in The Netherlands. It has offices/representation throughout Europe (including a dedicated landing gear hub in Vilnius, Lithuania), Miami and Singapore. With a focus on Airbus, Boeing, Embraer and ATR resources. APOC is renowned for its aviation industry expertise which underpins the energy and commitment of its team. APOC’s majority shareholder is private equity investor Egeria and the Netherlands-based fund has worked closely with the Company since 2020. It continues to drive APOC’s transformative global footprint with a focus on continued vertical integration. See www.apocaviation.com 

APOC CEO, Gavin Simmonds, recently shared insights with Air International on the latest developments in the aviation leasing sector, APOC’s strategic regional focus and growth plans, as well as technological advancements shaping the future of the industry.

Simmonds comments, “We’re concentrating on enhancing our business core competencies to become the intuitive choice for airline industry customers. This starts with our team and we are committed to equipping everyone with the right support, training and knowledge to enable them to become the best they can be in an aligned, forward-looking company.”

APOC ‘s Technical Manager Engine Division, Bruce Ansell, discusses the current boom in engine leasing and trading, in the December 2024 issue of Freighter Trends.

Ansell comments, “The current issues with Nextgen aircraft and powerplants mean we expect the strong demand for engine leasing and trading to continue through to 2028.

“Following this we expect to see demand reducing a little as Nextgen engines approach maturity. Whilst the market for the CFM56-7B/5B and V2500-A5 remains strong due to engine retirements and teardowns reducing the quantity available.”

APOC ‘s Technical Manager Engine Division, Bruce Ansell, discusses the differences in the design and maintenance of the LEAP and CFM56 engines, in the latest issue of AviTrader.

Ansell acknowledges that new materials bring with them new challenges, though he feels that “Maintenance processes have not changed to any great extent, the inspection and repair has differences and a thorough understanding of the component, and material limitations have to be learnt. The new materials are still being developed and show great promise for extended time on wing in the future.”