VTOL Aircraft Phillicopter

Phillicopter
Role	Light utility helicopter Type of aircraft
National origin	Australia
Manufacturer	VTOL Aircraft
First flight	1971

The VTOL Aircraft Phillicopter is a 1970s Australian light utility helicopter designed and built by VTOL Aircraft of Newcastle West, New South Wales.^[1]

Design

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 145 hp (108 kW) Rolls-Royce Continental O-200 engine.^[2] Phillips set up VTOL Aircraft Pty Ltd in 1971 to construct and develop the Phillicopter.^[3] The Phillicopter was granted its Australian type certificate in 1984,^[4] and the prototype was modified to represent a pre-production standard.^[5]

The Phillicopter is a conventional two-seat helicopter with a two-blade rotor powered by a 180 hp (134 kW) Lycoming O-360 piston engine.^[1] It has an enclosed cabin with removable doors and is fitted with dual controls.^[1] The open frame fuselage has a two-blade tail rotor at the rear.^[1] 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.^[1] The Phillicopter has a fixed skid type landing gear.^[1]

Specifications

Data from ^[1]Brassey's World Aircraft & Systems Directory

General characteristics

Crew: 2
Length: 7.07 m (23 ft 2 in)
Height: 2.59 m (8 ft 6 in)
Empty weight: 454 kg (1,000 lb)
Max takeoff weight: 703 kg (1,550 lb)
Powerplant: 1 × Lycoming O-360 piston engine, 130 kW (180 hp)
Main rotor diameter: 7.77 m (25 ft 6 in)
Main rotor area: 47.38 m² (510.0 sq ft)

Performance

Cruise speed: 139 km/h (86 mph, 75 kn)
Never exceed speed: 203 km/h (126 mph, 110 kn)
Range: 694 km (431 mi, 375 nmi) with full payload and optional centre tank.
Service ceiling: 4,900 m (16,000 ft)

References

Notes

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g Taylor 1996, p. 297
^ Taylor 1976, pp. 8–9.
^ Gunston 2005, p. 491.
^ Taylor 1988, p. 7.
^ Lambert 1993, p. 11.

Bibliography

Gunston, Bill (2005). World Encyclopedia of Aircraft Manufacturers (Second ed.). Stroud, UK: Sutton Publishing. ISBN 0-7509-3981-8.
Lambert, Mark (1993). Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1993–94. Coulsdon, UK: Jane's Data Division. ISBN 0-7106-1066-1.
Taylor, John W. R. (1976). Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1976–77. London: Jane's Yearbooks. ISBN 0-354-00538-3.
Taylor, John W. R. (1988). Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1988–89. Coulsdon, UK: Jane's Defence Data. ISBN 0-7106-0867-5.
Taylor, Michael J. H. (1996). Brassey's World Aircraft & Systems Directory 1996/97. London, England: Brassey's. ISBN 9781574880632.

External links

Flight 22 June 1985

This page was last edited on 12 December 2020, at 16:31

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