The IAI Westwind was a highly successful business jet that became a cornerstone of the Israeli aircraft manufacturing industry and remained in production for twenty years. It was of conventional business jet arrangement, with twin engines mounted in nacelles carried on the rear fuselage. Usually set up for seven passengers, it could carry as many as ten, or quickly reconfigured as a fast courier aircraft.

Development

The Westwind was originally designed in the United States by Aero Commander as a development of its twin-propeller namesake aircraft, first flying on January 2 1963 as the Aero Commander 1121 Jet Commander. After successful testing, the aircraft was put into series production with deliveries to customers beginning in 1965.

Shortly thereafter, Aero Commander was acquired by North American Rockwell. The Jet Commander created a problem, since Rockwell already had an executive jet of its own design, the Sabreliner and could not keep both in production because of anti-trust laws . It was therefore decided to sell off the rights to the Jet Commander, which were purchased by IAI in 1968.

IAI initially manufactured 150 aircraft to the original design to fill existing orders for the type before undertaking a series of modifications to create the Westwind. These included stretching the fuselage, and adding tip tanks to the wings. Not long after the aircraft went into production, the original turbojet engines were replaced by more fuel-efficient turbofans, creating the definitive Westwind.

In 1976, in the wake of the terrorist takeover of the Savoy hotel in Tel Aviv, the Israeli Air Force decided to use the Westwind as the basis for a maritime patrol aircraft, which became known as the IAI Sea Scan .

In 1980, a final round of modifications were made to the Westwind design, including a new wing centre-section and the addition of winglets to the tips. A large number of interior changes were also made, and the revamped aircraft was called the Westwind II, replacing the original design in production. IAI built its last Westwind in 1987, after a total of 244 had been built.

Variants

Aero Commander

• 1121 Jet Commander - original production version

IAI

• 1123 Westwind - stretched version of the 1121
• 1124 Westwind - turbofan-powered version
  • 1124N Sea Scan – maritime surveillance aircraft
  • 1124A Westwind II - refined version of the 1124 built from 1980 onwards

Specifications (1124A Westwind II)

General Characteristics

• Crew: two pilots
• Capacity: up to 10 passengers
• Length: 15.93 m (52 ft 3 in)
• Wingspan: 13.65 m (44 ft 5 in)
• Height: 4.81 m (15 ft 10 in)
• Wing area: 28.6 m² (308 m²)
• Empty: 6,010 kg (13,250 lb)
• Loaded: kg ( lb)
• Maximum takeoff: 10,660 kg (23,500 lb)
• Powerplant: 2x Garrett TFE731 -1100G, 16.5 kN (3,700 lb) thrust each

Performance

• Maximum speed: 868 km/h (544 mph)
• Range: 4,430 km (2,770 miles)
• Service ceiling: m (ft)
• Rate of climb: m/min ( ft/min)
• Wing loading: kg/m² ( lb/ft²)
• Thrust-to-weight:

Related content

Related development: Rockwell Aero Commander

Comparable aircraft:

Designation sequence: