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IAI
Israel Aerospace Industries or IAI is Israel's prime aerospace and aviation manufacturer, producing aerial and astronautic systems for both military and civilian usage. IAI was founded in 1953 as Bedek Aviation Company. On March 26, 2002, IAI transferred ownership of the smaller Westwind Astra business jet to Gulfstream Aerospace.
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G200 |
G280
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.
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. With improvements to a number of onboard systems incorporated as well, these changes resulted in the 1124 Westwind delivered from 1976.
IAI 1124 Westwind, registration RP-C5988, built 1979, serial number 1124
Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPS), Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia, 17 May 2016
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G200 |
G280
IAI Gulfstream G200
The Gulfstream G200, formerly known as the IAI Galaxy, is a twin-engine business jet. It was designed originally by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and was produced for Gulfstream Aerospace from 1999 through 2011.
The G200 was originally named "Astra Galaxy". Israel Aircraft Industries' subsidiary Galaxy Aerospace Inc. began designing the Galaxy in the late 1980s in a risk-sharing partnership with the Soviet aircraft design bureau Yakovlev OKB. The program officially launched in September 1993. Yakovlev handled design and manufacturing of the forward fuselage and empennage. However, the Russian company had trouble meeting agreed production schedules, and the partnership was ended in 1995. This led to another risk-sharing agreement, with EADS Sogerma manufacturing the fuselage and empennage, and IAI being responsible for final assembly and other prime contractor duties.
The Galaxy first flew on December 25, 1997. By December 1998 it had received certification from the US and Israeli aviation agencies. Deliveries began the following year. The Galaxy was renamed "G200" after Gulfstream Aerospace acquired Galaxy Aerospace in June 2001. The final production G200 rolled off the production line on December 19, 2011; 250 units had been built.
IAI Gulfstream G200 Galaxy, registration G-GZOO, built 2009, serial number 224
Cointrin (GVA), Geneva, Switzerland, 12 July 2017
Westwind |
G200 |
G280
IAI Gulfstream G280
The Gulfstream G280 is a twin-engine business jet built under license by IAI in Israel for Gulfstream Aerospace. It began delivery to users in 2012.
In 2005, Gulfstream and IAI began designing a follow-on aircraft to the Gulfstream G200. The new model, named G250, was launched in 2008. Planned improvements included new glass cockpit and engines, larger wing, and heated leading edges.
The G250 took its maiden flight on December 11, 2009 in Tel Aviv, Israel. In July 2011, the G250 was renamed G280, as the company had "determined that G280 is a more amenable number sequence [than G250] in certain cultures." In Mandarin, the number 250 can be translated as "stupid" or "idiotic".
After the flight test program, the G280 demonstrated a range of 3,600 nmi (6,667 km) at Mach 0.80 with four passengers and NBAA IFR reserves in 2011. It can fly from London to New York or Singapore to Dubai. Its balanced field length has been reduced to 4,750 feet (1,448 m) from the G200's 4,960 feet (1,512 m).
The G280 was provisionally certified in December 2011 by Israel. In July 2012, the US FAA released a report with conditions to ensure no security gaps in the G280's electronic systems. It received full certification from Israel and the US on September 4, 2012.
IAI Gulfstream G280 Galaxy, registration VP-CVH, built 2015, serial number 2072
Cointrin (GVA), Geneva, Switzerland, 3 May 2017
Westwind |
G200 |
G280
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