Duan A. Phillips began work on design of a two-seat helicopter in 1962, and started to build a prototype in 1967. The prototype, the Phillicopter Mark I, was completed and first flew in 1971, powered by a single 1450NaN0 Rolls-Royce Continental O-200 engine.[1] Phillips set up VTOL Aircraft Pty Ltd in 1971 to construct and develop the Phillicopter.[2] The Phillicopter was granted its Australian type certificate in 1984,[3] and the prototype was modified to represent a pre-production standard.[4]
The Phillicopter is a conventional two-seat helicopter with a two-blade rotor powered by a 1800NaN0 Lycoming O-360 piston engine. It has an enclosed cabin with removable doors and is fitted with dual controls. The open frame fuselage has a two-blade tail rotor at the rear. A 91-litre fuel tank is fitted and an optional 91-litre central tank can be fitted, although this can also be used for crop spraying chemicals rather than fuel. The Phillicopter has a fixed skid type landing gear.
. World Encyclopedia of Aircraft Manufacturers. 2005. Sutton Publishing. Stroud, UK. 0-7509-3981-8. Second. Bill Gunston.
. Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1976–77. 1976. Jane's Yearbooks. London. 0-354-00538-3. John W. R. Taylor.