IAI Westwind

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IAI_Westwind

The Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) Westwind (formerly Aero Commander 1121 Jet
Commander) is a business jet that became a cornerstone of the Israeli aircraft
manufacturing industry and remained in production for 20 years. Usually
configured for seven passengers, it can carry as many as 10, or be quickly
reconfigured as a fast air freight aircraft.

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 27,
1963 as the Aero Commander 1121 Jet Commander. It was of broadly conventional
business jet arrangement, with two engines mounted in nacelles carried on the
rear fuselage. However the wings were mounted halfway up the fuselage instead of
the typical low-wing arrangement of aircraft in this class. After successful
testing, the aircraft was put into series production with deliveries to
customers beginning in early 1965.

After initial testing of the prototype it was modified to production standard
with an addition 2ft 6in to the fuselage length and increased payload and
maximum weights. The second prototype first flew on 14 April 1964 which was
followed by the first production aircraft in November 1964. Type approval was
awarded by the FAA in November enabling the first customer delivery on 11
January 1965.


Role
Business jet

Manufacturer
Aero Commander
Israel Aircraft Industries

First flight
27 January 1963

Introduction
1965

Status
Active service

Primary user
Pel-Air

Produced
1965–1987

Number built
442

Developed from
Aero Commander 500

Variants
IAI Astra
Gulfstream G100

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. Therefore, the company decided to sell off the rights to the
Jet Commander, which were purchased by IAI in 1968.

Jet Commander production amounted to 150 aircraft in the United States and
Israel before IAI undertook a series of modifications to create the 1123
Westwind. These included stretching the fuselage and increased maximum takeoff,
maximum landing, and maximum zero-fuel weights, with the wing modified to
incorporate double-slotted flaps and drooped leading edges and tip tanks. The
trimmable horizontal stabiliser was also modified to have increased span and
more travel. Not long after the aircraft went into production, the original
General Electric CJ610 turbojet engines were replaced by more fuel-efficient
Garrett TFE731 turbofans There were also numerous airframe modifications, such
as drooped leading edges on the wings, a dorsal fin, revised engine pylons and
nacelles, and further increases in maximum takeoff, maximum landing, and maximum
zero-fuel weights. With improvements to a number of onboard systems incorporated
as well, these changes resulted in the 1124 Westwind delivered from 1976.

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. It had originally been
developed to meet a requirement for the United States Coast Guard to replace the
Grumman HU-16 Albatross. The Dassault Falcon was selected instead.

In 1980, deliveries of the Model 1124A commenced; modifications included a new
wing centre-section and the addition of winglets to the tips. 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 442 Jet
Commanders and Westwinds had been built, switching production to the Astra.

Specifications (1124A Westwind II)

General characteristics
Crew: Two (pilot & co-pilot)
Capacity: Up to 10 passengers
Length: 15.93 m (52 ft 3 in)
Wingspan: 13.65 m (44 ft 9½ in)
Height: 4.81 m (15 ft 9½ in)
Wing area: 28.64 m² (308.3 ft²)
Empty weight: 6,010 kg (13,250 lb)
Max. takeoff weight: 10,660 kg (23,500 lb)
Powerplant: 2 × Garrett TFE731-3-1G turbofan engines, 16.46 kN (3,700 lbf) each

Performance
Maximum speed: 868 km/h (469 knots, 539 mph) at 8,840 m (29,000 ft)
Cruise speed: 723 km/h (390 knots, 449 mph) econ cruise, at 11,890–12,500 m
(39,000–41,000 ft)
Stall speed: 184 km/h (99 knots, 114 mph) CAS, flaps down, engines idling
Range: 4,430 km (2,392 nmi, 2,770 mi) with maximum payload
Service ceiling: 13,720 m (45,000 ft) (max certificated ceiling)
Rate of climb: 25.4 m/s (5,000 ft/min)




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