Originally designed by Ted Smith in 1960 and called the Aero Commander Jet Commander, the design first flew in 1963. When the company was taken over by North American Rockwell in 1967, the Justice Department in¬sisted that the new firm divest itself of Rock¬well’s rights to the Jet Commander. The Gov-ernment apparently felt that common owner¬ship of two bizjet designs the Commander and North American’s existing Sabreliner¬ – would give North American Rockwell a lock on the market. For a variety of public and pri¬vate reasons (the Sabreliner’s origin as a mili¬tary project was mentioned most frequently), the Government decreed that the Command¬er must go.
The project was bought lock, stock and tooling by Israeli Aircraft Industries. The machine the Israelis developed from the basic Commander design was the IAI Westwind 1124 and its successor, the Westwind 1.

The Jet Commander was 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 Commander 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.

Characterised by a mid-fuselage wing, set aft, behind even the rearmost windows, the Westwind is a high versatility, multi-role performer. Israel and Venezuela both have them in use for naval and air-force tracking, while the German air force have three engaged in target towing. As well, Westwinds are to be found perform¬ing fisheries surveillance, anti-submarine reconnisance, air am¬bulance work, VIP carriage, calibration flying, all freight, charter and even, in the case of the Israelis, in the attack role, with missiles attached to fuselage hardpoints. Certified for up to ten passengers and two crew, with seven passengers still air range with mandatory reserves is 2400 nautical miles. An auxilliary fuel tank can be fitted to the rear baggage compartment to give a further 300 nm range. Maximum ramp weight is 23,000 pounds, while a typical Basic Operating Weight runs to 13,200 pounds. Maximum zero fuel weight is 16,500 pounds giving a near 3,500 pound useful load – in the freight configuration this is upped to a 4,000 pound disposable load. Two baggage holds are standard, an 800 pound capacity forward one and a 250 pound rear locker. Both are un¬pressurised though the forward hold is heated. Powered by two Garrett AiResearch TFE 731 engines, each rated at 3,700 pounds static thrust, with clam-shell thrust reversers as standard to minimise brake and tyre wear. Certified under Part 25 of the FAR’s (airline category certification), the Westwind 1 has an excellent balanced-field/range combination. Take-off distance at gross is 5,500 feet, and the aircraft can operate a 2,500 nm sector, with 45 minute reserve, out of a 4,600 foot field carrying four passengers. At the other end of the scale, the same four passengers can be flown a 500 nm trip out of only a 2,550 foot strip. Standard are thrust reversers, antiskid braking, lift dump system, therapeutic oxygen, and single point refuelling.
Israel Aircraft Industries flew the IAI 1124 Westwind development aircraft (4X CJA) on 21 July 1975. An improved ver¬sion of the 1123 Westwind introduc¬ing Garrett TFE731 3 turbofans. The new engines have allowed IAI to increase the Westwind’s ramp weight by one ton and other useful changes have been made as well: the wing leading edge cuff has been blunted and drooped slightly in order to maintain reasonable approach speeds de¬spite the weight increases; the two baggage compartments in the tailcone have been enlarged; and the airplane is being delivered from the factory with a completely new avion¬ics package featuring the Collins NCS 31 mul¬tipurpose digital computer a compact RNAV processor and avionics management system.
Cabin ac¬commodations, standard, includes four swivelling/tracking/reclining club seats, three fixed seats, a fully enclosed lavatory and a hot¬-and cold refreshment center.
A version of the 1124 for the Israeli navy was de¬veloped as the 1124 Sea Scan. A maritime version of the IAI-1124 Westwind corporate jet, the Sea Scan is equipped with a Litton AN/APS 504(V) 360 degree scan search radar, a VLF/Omega naviga¬tion system, and stores pylons on the fuselage sides. Three standard Westwinds, delivered to the Israeli Navy in 1977, have been converted to Sea Scans for maritime patrol and tactical support duties.

Westwind
Seats 10.
Gross wt. 20,700 lb
Empty wt. 9,370 lb
Fuel capacity 1,330 USG.
Engines two 3,109-lb. s.t. General Electric turbojets.
Top speed 428 mph.
Cruise 420 mph.
Stall 112 mph.
Initial climb rate 4,040 fpm.
Range 1,600 sm.
Ceiling 45,000.
Takeoff distance (to 35 ft) 4,100 ft.
Landing distance (to 50 ft) 3,400 ft.

IA-1124 Westwind I
First built: 1976.
Engines: 2 x Garrett TFE 731-3-1G, 3700 lbs thrust.
Seats: 7/10.
Length: 52.3 ft.
Height: 15.8 ft.
Wingspan: 44.8 ft.
Wing area: 308 sq.ft.
Wing aspect ratio: 6.5.
Maximum ramp weight: 23,000 lbs.
Maximum takeoff weight: 22,850 lbs.
Standard empty weight: 12,390 lbs.
Maximum useful load: 10,610 lbs.
Zero-fuel weight: 16,000 lbs.
Maximum landing weight: 19,000 lbs.
Wing loading: 74.1 lbs/sq.ft.
Power loading: 3.1 lbs/lb.
Maximum usable fuel: 8710 lbs.
Best rate of climb: 3200.
Certificated ceiling: 45,000 ft.
Max pressurisation differential: 9 psi.
8000 ft cabin alt @: 45,000 ft.
Maximum single-engine rate of climb: 860 fpm @ 150 kts.
Single-engine climb gradient: 392 ft/nm.
Single-engine ceiling: 25,000 ft.
Max speed: 360 kts./.765 Mach.
High speed cruise @ 39,000ft: 424 kts/.75 Mach.
Fuel flow @ normal cruise: 1048 pph.
Long range cruise at 39,000 ft: 393 kts./.7 Mach.
Stalling speed, clean, at 19,000 lbs: 113 kts.
Stalling speed, flaps 40, at 16,000 lbs: 91 kts.
Turbulent-air penetration speed: 230 kts.
Duration at high speed cruise: 5.9 hrs. (2,466 nm).
Duration at long range cruise: 6.7 hrs (2,640 nm).

IA-1124A Westwind II
First built: 1980.
Engines: 2 x Garrett TFE 731-3-1G, 3700 lbs thrust.
Seats: 9/12.
Length: 52.3 ft.
Height: 14.8 ft.
Wingspan: 44.8 ft.
Wing area: 308 sq.ft.
Wing aspect ratio: 6.5.
Maximum ramp weight: 23,650 lbs.
Maximum takeoff weight: 23,650 lbs.
Standard empty weight: 12,717lbs.
Maximum useful load: 10,933 lbs.
Zero-fuel weight: 16,500 lbs.
Maximum landing weight: 19,000 lbs.
Wing loading: 76.2 lbs/sq.ft.
Power loading: 3.2 lbs/lb.
Maximum usable fuel: 9555 lbs.
Best rate of climb: 3500.
Certificated ceiling: 45,000 ft.
Max pressurisation differential: 9 psi. 8000 ft cabin alt @: 45,000 ft.
Maximum single-engine rate of climb: 900 fpm @ 209 kts.
Single-engine climb gradient: 258 ft/nm.
Single-engine ceiling: 29,000 ft.
Maximum speed: 470 kts.
Normal cruise @ 45,000ft: 425 kts.
Fuel flow @ normal cruise: 992 pph.
Stalling speed clean: 113 kts.
Stalling speed gear/flaps down: 99 kts.
Turbulent-air penetration speed: 230 kts.

Seascan
Engine: 2 x Garrett TFE731 turbofan.
Installed thrust: 33 kN.
Span: 13.65 m.
Length: 15.93 m.
Wing area: 28.6 sq.m.
Empty wt: 6273 kg.
MTOW: 10,952 kg.
Warload: 2182 kg.
Max speed: 872 kph.
Initial ROC: 1524 m / min.
Ceiling: 13,715 m.
T/O run: 1180 m.
Ldg run: 534 m.
Fuel internal: 5390 lt.
Range: 4275 km.
Air refuel: No.