May 05, Colombo: SriLankan Airlines has become one of the few organizations in the world to have carried out an important mandatory modification for engines on the Airbus A340, one of the world's most widely used aircraft.

SriLankan Engineering, the aircraft engineering arm of SriLankan Airlines, is now carrying out modifications on the CFM-56 engines of SriLankan’s own fleet of A340s in its aircraft engineering facilities at Bandaranaike International Airport.

The modifications which are mandatory requirements by the engine manufacturer must be completed on every CFM-56 engine in use in all airlines by the end of 2008. It comprises a set of upgrades to strengthen the structural integrity of the engine’s exhaust section, known as the C-duct or the Thrust Reverser. This is vital in reversing the direction of thrust to bring an aircraft to a halt on landing. Most other airlines using A340 aircraft are going through the costly and laborious process of removing their engine thrust reversers and shipping them to Europe for the modifications.