Marana Becomes North America’s Home for Boeing 777 Cargo Conversions
Southern Arizona just took a big step forward in aviation. In October 2026, Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), Ascent Aviation Services and World Star Aviation announced that Boeing 777 passenger-to-freighter conversions have officially started in North America, at Ascent’s campus in Marana.
What’s Happening
Ascent’s Pinal Air Park campus in Marana, just northwest of Tucson, is now the North American conversion site for IAI’s Boeing 777-300ERSF program. The first aircraft arrived from World Star Aviation, an aircraft leasing company.
Here’s what the work involves. A passenger version of the Boeing 777 comes in, and the team removes the passenger setup and rebuilds the jet as a cargo plane. That gives the aircraft a longer working life. Demand for these conversions is rising fast because cargo companies need more long-haul freighters.
IAI says its 777-300ERSF is the world’s first and only certified passenger-to-freighter conversion for this model of the Boeing 777.
Key Details
Location: Ascent Aviation Services, Pinal Air Park campus, Marana, Arizona
Partners: Israel Aerospace Industries, Ascent Aviation Services and World Star Aviation
Investment: Ascent invested $70 million in two new 90,000-square-foot hangars built for the program
Capacity: the new hangars triple Ascent’s hangar space in Marana
Production: two conversion lines will run side by side
Jobs: the expansion is expected to create hundreds of skilled aviation jobs in Southern Arizona
What This Could Mean for Arizona
Aviation maintenance and modification jobs need specialized skills and tend to pay well. As Marana builds a reputation as an aerospace hub, it could:
Draw skilled workers and their families to Southern Arizona
Support more local businesses that serve the aviation industry
Add to steady housing demand in Marana, northwest Tucson and nearby communities
It’s another example of Arizona’s economy growing beyond the Phoenix area, with major employers investing across the state.
What to Watch
Hiring announcements and training programs tied to the new jobs
How quickly the second conversion line ramps up
Other aviation companies that may follow to Marana
Takeaway
Marana is now home to the only certified program in the world for this kind of Boeing 777 cargo conversion, and that puts Arizona on the global aviation map. More skilled jobs mean more people looking to call Arizona home.
Would you consider a career in aviation if it meant hundreds of new jobs in Arizona? Let me know!
Juan Grimaldo | The Grimaldo Group at eXp Realty
📍 Goodyear, AZ | 📞 (480) 365-8346 | ✉️ juang@teamgrimaldo.com
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