I think it’s cool from a “try it” standpoint. I love the control systems he built. The jets were not optimized to the vehicle - something like a turbofan arrangement would likpelt have been a better setup, but afaik they don’t make those in this size. They strike me as large scale R/C engines and probably yielded a couple hundred pounds of thrust total - I’m sure someone here is more familiar.
it’s interesting that he could cockpit start them. Even the R/C engines often use compressed air to spin them up… these seem to have been electrically started with an onboard unit. They also consumed gobs of fuel. Like pushing a heavy vehicle in impossibly too high a gear for the speed it was going.
I don’t recall the Chrysler jet design, but the GM design drove a driven rotor and PTO shaft, not gas-to-air or open air like these. A PTO arrangement on these could have yielded more usable energy, or even PTO to gear reduction to alternator. To my basic understanding, jet turbines can be efficient when harnessed properly.
id like to buy one just to play with it. The price of injury is not lost on me however. They are rotating at insane speeds, and accidents happen. I built a 26HP hovercraft years ago. Things that spin fast carry risks. Acorns posed for a bad day in that thing.
it’s interesting that he could cockpit start them. Even the R/C engines often use compressed air to spin them up… these seem to have been electrically started with an onboard unit. They also consumed gobs of fuel. Like pushing a heavy vehicle in impossibly too high a gear for the speed it was going.
I don’t recall the Chrysler jet design, but the GM design drove a driven rotor and PTO shaft, not gas-to-air or open air like these. A PTO arrangement on these could have yielded more usable energy, or even PTO to gear reduction to alternator. To my basic understanding, jet turbines can be efficient when harnessed properly.
id like to buy one just to play with it. The price of injury is not lost on me however. They are rotating at insane speeds, and accidents happen. I built a 26HP hovercraft years ago. Things that spin fast carry risks. Acorns posed for a bad day in that thing.