Boeing recommends fixing thrust reversers on 777

Boeing Co. said on Friday that it is recommending that airlines fix a key piece of equipment on its 777 airliner to make sure that engine heat doesn't cause damage.

Boeing said the new service bulletin applies to 225 aircraft, including 55 registered to U.S. carriers.

The fix involves a device on the engine called a thrust reverser. It directs the jet's power backward, and is used as the plane lands to slow it down on the runway.

But heat damage has been showing up on 777s equipped with a Rolls Royce thrust reverser. Boeing is recommending that airlines replace insulation blankets and other changes that will keep the area around the thrust reverser cooler.

The retrofit replaces new maintenance procedures Boeing had previously recommended to check for heat damage. The company said testing showed that the thrust reversers continued to function, and that the heat damage caused the nearby panels to break into particles so small they didn't threaten the safety of the plane.

Boeing issued the recommendation Nov. 25. It was first reported Friday by The Wall Street Journal.