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| STANDARD DATA: (Westwind) Seats 10. Gross wt. 20,700. Empty wt. 9,370. Fuel capacity 1,330. Engines two 3,109-lb. s.t. General Electric turbojets. PERFORMANCE: Top mph 428. Cruise mph 420. Stall mph 112. Initial climb rate 4,040. Range 1,600. Ceiling 45,000. Takeoff distance (35') 4,100. Landing distance (50') 3,400. |
The Jet Commander originated with Aero Commander in 1967 when the Rockwell Company, then making Aero Commanders, was merged with North American. One of the conditions imposed by the government on approval of the merger was Aero Commander disposing of its jet. The purchaser turned out to be the State of Israel. Manufacturing in Israel began in 1969. The Jet Commander is one of the most frequently seen of the business jets along with the Lear. The Commander's appearance is also unique with a long, slim fuselage and short wings set far back. It is also one of the smaller of the business jets and one of the most economical to operate, consuming only about 225 gallons per hour.
The Jet Commander is so easy to control that flight controls are not boosted hydraulically and there is no artificial stall-warning device. In a deliberate stall, the Jet Commander will not fall off either wing. When Israel Aircraft industries began production of the Commodore Jet, several improvements were added:
increased takeoff weight, strengthened landing gear, greater fuel capacity, and improved performance. The 1123 Westwind features a longer cabin, auxiliary wingtip fuel tanks, more powerful engines, two additional cabin windows, and modified wing leading edges. The 1124 Westwind is the long-range version utilizing two 3,700-lb. s.t. Garrett turbofans with an 8,620-gallon fuel capacity. The 1123 converted to the 1124 when Garrett TFE731 turbofans were added. That model changed to the 1124A Westwind 2 with improved hot and high performance, better fuel economy and longer range. The Westwind 2 also had a modified wing, winglets, and upgrades to the interior.
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