Silhouette traced from a photo of the closest sister model, the Westwind 1124, by Bidgee · CC BY-SA 3.0 au
IAI · Light Jet
IAI 1123 Westwind
The second model in the line that became the Westwind, Astra and Gulfstream G100 and G150, and the last with turbojets.
A historically important and comparatively roomy early business jet, but not a practical purchase in the US. It fails Stage 3 noise rules with no fix available, only 36 were built, and parts, mechanics and buyers are scarce.
Buy it if
You want a rare piece of business-jet history for display or a collection, or you will base and fly it outside the 48 contiguous US states and can source parts and specialist maintenance.
Skip it if
You need a jet that can use US airports, want predictable costs and resale, or expect quick parts support. A Citation I or Westwind 1124 does the same job with far fewer obstacles.
Biggest compromise
Noise. Its CJ610 turbojets do not meet Stage 3 standards and no noise kit is available for the 1123, so since January 2016 it has been barred from airports in the 48 contiguous states except under special FAA permission for trips such as ferry flights, maintenance or export.
The numbers that matter
What it costs per year
$1.35M
at 300 hrs · two professional pilots
How far it flies
1,840 nm
1,390–1,300 nm with passengers
How fast
470 kt
high-speed cruise
Seats
7
7 typical (up to 10)
Pilots needed
2
Requires two pilots; the captain needs the IA-JET type rating shared with every Westwind.
Price
What one costs to buy
Typical asking price
$0
Other sites
Priced vs call
with a price / call for price
No 1123 is listed for sale and no current price guide covers it. In 2013 the FAA put the one US example's pre-ban value near $400,000.
Price vs its family and alternatives
Scroll to explore · select a jet for details
Learjet 25 / 25B / 25C / 25D
$150K–$400K guide
Guide value, not a listed asking price.
See the Learjet 25 / 25B / 25C / 25DFor sale now
None listed right now
Cost to own
What it costs per year to run
300hours / year
Per year
Per flight hour
Estimate — your operator will quote actual numbers.
Fuel, airframe maintenance, engine overhaul reserve and landing, handling, crew travel and databases rise as you fly more. Two professional pilots, recurrent training, two pilots, hangar and management stay the same however much you fly.
Where the money goes
Partial estimate- Two professional pilots$285,00021%
- Recurrent training, two pilots$37,5003%
- Hangar$27,5002%
- Management$24,0002%
- Fuel$635,04047%
- Airframe maintenance$165,00012%
- Engine overhaul reserve$82,5006%
- Landing, handling, crew travel and databases$90,0007%
Fuel is the biggest single cost at 47% of the total.
The JetGrade
48 out of 100 — Well below its class
Peer group: Learjet 24 / 24A–F, Learjet 25 / 25B / 25C / 25D, Cessna Citation I (500), Jet Commander 1121 / 1121A / 1121B
Seven categories at a glance
- - - 70 = typical— This aircraft
Strongest on cabin & passenger comfort, weakest on airport access.
Grades are editorial opinions about the model, not any specific aircraft. Sponsors and affiliates have no input. Reviewed 2026-09-30.
Where it flies
Sample trips and reach
Typical trips on a map
Nonstop
Depends on weight or weather
Fuel stop likely
Out of reach
3 of 8 sample trips are comfortable nonstops.
Sample flight times
- 0.9 hr
Carlsbad → Las Vegas
205 nm · Easy range; US noise rules bar lower-48 airports
- 1.9 hr
Carlsbad → Aspen
625 nm · Hot-and-high; noise rules also bar lower-48 airports
- 2.3 hr
Santa Ana → San José del Cabo
765 nm · Within range with four; noise rules bar Santa Ana
- 2.6 hr
Teterboro → West Palm Beach
900 nm · Within range with four; noise rules bar both airports
- 3.3 hr
Dallas → Teterboro
1,190 nm · Near the limit with four; noise rules bar both
- 4.3 hr
Teterboro → San Juan
1,410 nm · Needs one stop en route; Teterboro is barred
- 5.9 hr
Carlsbad → Teterboro
2,100 nm · Needs one stop; noise rules bar both airports
Los Angeles → Honolulu
2,215 nm · Beyond range over open ocean
Lineage
What came before and after
1972–1976
IAI 1123 Westwind
Stretched cabin, wingtip fuel tanks and more powerful CJ610-9 turbojets.
What changed from the Jet Commander 1121 / 1121A / 1121B
- GE CJ610-9 turbojets rated at 3,100 lb of thrust each, up from 2,850–2,950 lb.
- Fuselage stretched about 22 inches, adding cabin length and two cabin windows.
- Double-slotted flaps and drooped wing leading edges added.
- Wingtip fuel tanks raised usable fuel to about 1,300 US gallons.
- Maximum takeoff weight rose to 20,700 lb from 17,500 lb.
- Trimmable horizontal tail gained span and more trim travel.
Size and cabin
How big it is, inside and out
Outside
Silhouette · scaled to length
Length
Wingspan
Height
Inside the cabin
Cabin length
Width
Height
Compare
How it stacks up
This aircraft
IAI 1123 Westwind
- JetGrade
- 48
- Cost per year
- $1.35M
- Range
- 1,840 nm
- Speed
- 470 kt
- Seats
- 7
- Cabin length
- 15′ 5″
- Pilots
- 2
- Years built
- 1972–1976
← Before
Jet Commander 1121 / 1121A / 1121B
- JetGrade
- 43
- Cost per year
- $1.19M
- Range
- 1,288 nm
- Speed
- 434 kt
- Seats
- 6
- Pilots
- 2
- Years built
- 1965–1969
After →
- JetGrade
- 57
- Price
- $328K–$450K guide
- Cost per year
- $1.5M
- Range
- 2,030 nm
- Speed
- 455 kt
- Seats
- 7
- Cabin length
- 15′ 6″
- Pilots
- 2
- Years built
- 1976–1980
Alternative
- JetGrade
- 62
- Price
- $473K
- Cost per year
- $841K
- Range
- 900 nm
- Speed
- 335 kt
- Seats
- 5
- Cabin length
- 12′ 8″
- Pilots
- 2
- Years built
- 1971–1985
Alternative
- JetGrade
- 54
- Price
- $150K–$400K guide
- Cost per year
- $1.24M
- Range
- 1,535 nm
- Speed
- 464 kt
- Seats
- 7
- Cabin length
- 12′ 0″
- Pilots
- 2
- Years built
- 1967–1982
- IAI Westwind 1124 instead: The same basic airframe with Garrett TFE731 fan engines, which avoid the US noise ban and burn far less fuel. Dozens remain on the US register.
- Cessna Citation I (500) instead: A contemporary straight-wing light jet with fan engines that avoid the US noise ban, a large fleet and much better parts support.
- Learjet 25 instead: A turbojet of the same era that can use US airports once an approved noise kit is fitted, with a far larger remaining fleet.
Gold marks the best figure in each row.
Owning one
What to know before you buy
Engines & inspections
2 × General Electric CJ610-9 · 3,100 lbf each
Engine hours until overhaul
- Stabilizer trim actuator check · 300 hr
No pay-per-hour engine plan was found, so owners fund overhauls. A few specialist shops still overhaul and sell CJ610 engines.
Known issues
Barred from most US airports
Not Stage 3 noise compliant and no noise kit exists, so it cannot use airports in the 48 contiguous states.
Scarce parts and specialists
Only 36 were built and none remain on the US register, so parts, mechanics and instructors are hard to find.
Stabilizer trim actuator directive
Checks every 300 hours until a modified actuator is fitted; the FAA priced that fix near $50,000 in 1998.
Pre-buy checklist
0 of 8 checked
Only 36 were built. The IA-JET type rating covers every Jet Commander and Westwind, and Westwind II simulator training is offered in Orlando, but 1123 parts and experienced mechanics are scarce.
Review
The full review
Strengths
- Published range of about 1,840 nm with maximum fuel, long for a 1970s light jet, thanks to wingtip tanks.
- Cabin about 15 ft 6 in long and 4 ft 11 in tall, seating seven typically and up to 10.
- Quick for its era: published cruise near 420 knots, up to about 470, and a 4,040 ft per minute climb.
Limitations
- Barred from airports in the 48 contiguous US states since 2016 because no Stage 3 noise kit exists.
- Turbojets burn an estimated 260-300 gallons an hour, and full tanks leave only about 240 lb for people.
- Only 36 were built and none remain on the US register, so parts and resale are very limited.
The 1123 Westwind was Israel Aircraft Industries' first version of the Jet Commander, the straight-wing business jet it bought from North American Rockwell in 1968. IAI stretched the fuselage by about 22 inches, added wingtip fuel tanks, double-slotted flaps and drooped wing leading edges, enlarged the trimmable tailplane and fitted more powerful General Electric CJ610-9 turbojets of 3,100 lb thrust each. It first flew in September 1970 and was approved in December 1971. Only 36 were built before the fan-engined 1124 Westwind replaced it in 1976, and the line went on to become the Astra and the Gulfstream G100 and G150.
Pilot's take
On paper the 1123 is a heavy, conventional straight-wing jet. As weights climbed well above the Jet Commander's, IAI added double-slotted flaps and drooped wing leading edges. Jane's lists a flaps-down stall near 97 knots at maximum landing weight, which suggests reasonable approach speeds for a jet of its size. The catch is everything around the flying. The CJ610 turbojets are loud and thirsty, a long takeoff roll limits shorter runways, and US noise rules keep it away from nearly every mainland airport.
Who this is for
Collectors, museums and enthusiasts who want the rarest turbojet Westwind, or operators based outside the lower 48 states with access to specialist maintenance. Most buyers wanting a vintage light jet are better served by a model that meets Stage 3 rules.
Ask about this aircraft
Answers come only from our research file on the 1123 Westwind.
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