Fine Tuning

Aug 31, 2006 (LBO) – SriLankan Airlines is in talks with regional carriers from India, Pakistan and the Middle East to carry out third party maintenance checks on aircraft, top airline officials said. The national carrier just successfully completed a multiple C check for an Emirates A330-200 aircraft, called the 4C5Y, usually carried out every five years.

The maintenance check, which involved all aspects of the aircraft like the airframe, avionics, engines, cabins and painting as well as other modifications, was the first carried out by SriLankan for another carrier.

"We have got interest for A320 C checks from airlines such as Airblue (Pakistan), Air Deccan (India), Kingfisher (India), Vietnam Airlines and a few start up airlines in the region," D A G Jayasuriya, Senior Manager Aircraft Engineering at SriLankan told LBO in an email interview.

"Also we expect there will be more A330/ A340, 4C checks from Emirates as well." Emirates own a 43.6 percent stake in SriLankan, alongside the government.

Aircraft maintenance checks are periodically done on all planes after a certain amount of time and usage.

Called A, B, C and D checks by airlines, A and B checks are lighter checks