KMC’s Gibbs joins Cargo Facts Symposium 2026

Jim Gibbs, chief operating officer of Kansas Modification Center, will join Cargo Facts Symposium 2026 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.

Gibbs will join Yaacov Berkovitz, executive vice president and general manager of aviation at IAI Aviation Group, and Mammoth Freighters Senior Vice President of Program Management Jens Steinhagen. They will discuss the latest 777 developments, including:

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

Gibbs became COO of KMC in January 2022. He worked for Boeing for ten of his thirty-five years in the aerospace industry before launching Gibbs Machine and Tool and Dynamic N/C. He founded KMC in 2020.

KMC cut metal on its 777-300ERCF prototype in the first half of 2025. That aircraft belongs to launch customer Backbone Freighter Leasing.

The conversion company also signed a memorandum of understanding with Thai Airways in April 2025 to set up a joint venture for 777-300ER freighter conversions at the Thai Technical MRO facility at Don Mueang International Airport (DMK).

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.