Air Zimbabwe's second Boeing 767, which developed an oil leak in July in Britain, is expected to be back in service in the second week of October after undergoing engine maintenance in Germany.

The airline's corporate communications department said on Friday subsequent investigations into the oil leak had shown the need for an engine overhaul to give the plane a longer life span.

"Lufthansa Technic, our German partner who overhaul our B767 engine, is about to complete the overhaul and advises us that it should be ready for putting back on the wings in October," Air Zimbabwe acting director of engineering and technical operations Boston Odongo said in a statement.

The airline will be sending 12 engineers to Germany in October to do an engine re-installation, general aircraft inspection and maintenance before the plane flies back to Zimbabwe on October 9.

The work being done on the craft, Air Zimbabwe said, makes it new and gives the engine an additional life span of more than 10 years.

Using one Boeing 767 has forced the airline to revise its schedule and at times had to charter planes to carry heavy passenger loads, especially during the peak season in July to September.

(Xinhua News Agency September 25, 2006)