IAI Astra
Israel Aerospace Industries · Israel · first flew 1984 · transport aircraft
Israel’s sleek midsize business jet — the Westwind’s swept-wing successor that Gulfstream later adopted as the G100.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, swept |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 2 × turbofan, tail-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Thin swept wing passing under the fuselage |
| T — Tail | Cruciform |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Midsize bizjet with rear-mounted twin jets
- Thin swept wing passing under the fuselage
- Later sold as the Gulfstream G100/G150
Looks like a Learjet from a distance, but the wing meets the fuselage lower and the cabin sits proud above it; twin rear jets and a cruciform tail complete the picture.
Specifications
- The IAI Astra has a length of 16.94 m (56 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 16.05 m (53 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 875 km/h (544 mph).
- Typical crew: 2 crew + up to 9 passengers.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
IAI reworked its slab-winged 1124 Westwind with an all-new swept wing mounted below the fuselage, flying the Astra in 1984. The design carried IAI into the modern bizjet era and, after Gulfstream acquired the line in 2001, evolved into the G100 and stretched G150.
Variants
Astra, Astra SP, and glass-cockpit Astra SPX; Gulfstream G100 (rebranded SPX) and the widened G150.
Where you'll see it
Corporate operators and charter fleets, mostly in the Americas and Israel; the US Air Force briefly flew the C-38 Courier version for transport duties.
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- Airtech CN-235
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