IAI’s Berkovitz joins Cargo Facts Symposium 2026

Yaacov Berkovitz, executive vice president and general manager of aviation at IAI Aviation Group, will join Cargo Facts Symposium for the panel discussion “Type Talk 777 — Ramping up 777 conversions in the widebody segment” on Thursday, Oct. 22, at 14:00 (GMT-5).

The 32nd annual Cargo Facts Symposium will take place Oct. 21-23 at the Grand Hyatt in Nashville, Tenn., where industry leaders and decision-makers will gather to assess the latest trends and developments in the freighter sector, while sharing their insights to project the market’s growth trajectory.

View the Cargo Facts Symposium 2026 agenda.

Berkovitz will join Kansas Modification Center Chief Operating Officer Jim Gibbs and Mammoth Freighters Senior Vice President of Program Management Jens Steinhagen to discuss:

• A progress update on development of the 777 conversion programs;
• Mitigating feedstock and engine limitations; and
• Production versus conversion in the 777 space.

Berkovitz was promoted to his post in January 2025. He previously was manager of IAI’s conversions and upgrades division, country manager in India and vice president and general manager of the company’s aircraft division.

IAI is ramping up its 777-300ERSF capacity with three more conversion sites this year after obtaining the STC for the program in September 2025:

• World Star Aviation will induct the first 777-300ERSF at IAI’s newest conversion line at the Ascent Aviation Services facility in Marana, Ariz. (MZJ);
• AerCap flew an ex-Turkish Airlines 2007-vintage 777-300ER (32729) to the Etihad Engineering facility in Abu Dhabi (AUH) in July ahead of conversion there; and
• IAI launched a conversion line in May at the Sharp Technics K facility in Seoul (ICN). Fly Meta’s 2013-vintage unit 41818 (ex-Turkish Airlines), the youngest 777-300ER to enter conversion to date, arrived at ICN on May 1.

Cargo Facts Symposium 2026, the premier event for the freighter aircraft and air cargo industries, will take place in Nashville, Tenn., on Oct. 21-23. Find out more and register by Sept. 4 to take advantage of early-bird pricing.