News
Lankan private investor gets licence to provide aircraft line maintenance services at BIA
A Sri Lankan private investor has qualified to provide aircraft line maintenance services to foreign airlines servings Sri Lanka at Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) for the first time, Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka (CAASL) said.
It said that the Ceylon Aeronautical Services (Pvt.) Ltd (CAS) was certified by the CAASL to provide line maintenance facilities at BIA after fulfilling the necessary requirements recently.
The main responsibility of the line maintenance certification is to certify that the aircraft is fit to fly to its intended destinations when departing from BIA.
The Aircraft Engineering Division of SriLankan Airlines and a few other foreign airlines are currently providing the line maintenance facility for approved foreign airlines flying to Sri Lanka and SriLankan Engineering contributes to the national economy with earnings in foreign currency through this business.
The entry of CAS will be a catalyst to the national economy whilst also generating new employment opportunities for many Sri Lankans.
CAS is already certified to conduct structural repairs and Non-Distractive Testing (NDT) for foreign and local aircraft and the facility is situated at the Koggala Export Processing Zone.
When the State Minister of Aviation and Export Zone Development D.V. Chanaka visited the aircraft structural repair facility at Koggala, the initial proposal was made by CAS for opening an aircraft line maintenance facility at BIA.
The Application submitted by CAS was scrutinised by the Civil Aviation Inspectors of CAASL by considering the organisational structure, availability of qualified and well trained staff, instruments/equipment and other required facilities for the certification under the guidance of Capt. Themiya Abeywickrama, the Director General of Civil Aviation and Chief Executive Officer of CAASL and the leadership of Saman Gunawardena, the Deputy Director General (Flight Safety Regulations) of the CAASL.
Once the necessary requirements were met CAS was issued with the requisite certificate by the Airworthiness section of CAASL to provide aircraft line maintenance facilities at BIA.
The government, under heavy Opposition fire over inclusion of a sex website in the Grade 6 English module, as well as overall education reforms, has decided to put on hold reforms in respect of Grade 6.
Cabinet Spokesman and Media and Health Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa announced the government decision yesterday (13) at the post-Cabinet media briefing at the Information Department.
According to him, the decision had been taken at the previous day’s Cabinet meeting, chaired by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. Dr. Jayatissa said that education reforms pertaining to Garde 6 had been put on hold until 2027.
The Minister said that other proposed education reforms would be implemented as planned. The Minister said that action would be taken against those responsible for the inclusion of a link to a sex website following investigations conducted by the Criminal Investigation Department and the National Education Institute.
The SJB and several other political parties, as well as civil society groups, have accused the government of promoting an LGBTQ agenda, through the proposed education reforms.
The Opposition grouping Mahajana Handa, on Monday, made representations to the Mahanayake Thera of the Malwatta Chapter regarding the controversial reforms, while urging their intervention to halt the project.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake yesterday (13) vowed to go ahead with his government’s agenda, regardless of the destruction caused by Cyclone Ditwah.
Emphasising the responsibility on the part of all to contribute to the post-Ditwah recovery efforts, President Dissanayake said that he would have complete faith in the public service.
The President said so at the launch of the re-building Sri Lanka project at the BMICH yesterday.
The JVP and NPP leader said that he wouldn’t take advantage of the death and destruction caused by the cyclone or use the situation as an excuse to reverse their agenda or weaken it.
President Dissanayake said that in spite of many calling for amending the then Budget, in view of the cyclone, the government presented the proposals that were agreed before the disaster struck.
The United States has announced that it will provide the Sri Lanka Air Force with 10 US Navy TH-57 helicopters free of charge.
The announcement was made by outgoing US Ambassador Julie Chung, who stated, on social media, that the helicopters would be transferred under the United States’ Excess Defence Articles programme. The aircraft are Bell 206 Sea Ranger helicopters previously operated by the US Navy.
US sources said that the transfer was intended to strengthen Sri Lanka’s disaster response capabilities, following the devastating cyclone that struck the island at the end of 2025 and killed more than 600 people. US officials have framed the move as a humanitarian measure aimed at improving aerial rescue and relief operations.
Showery condition over the island is expected to reduce from tomorrow (15th)
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Govt. bows to pressure, shelves Grade 6 reforms
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