The Jet Kart project is the brainchild of Chy Wright and Henry Donald, who both live in West Yorkshire, England.

Having both independently been involved in different aspects of motor sport racing from competitive motorcycle trials to drag racing, (not to mention extreme sports) we found the concept of a Jet Kart not only very exciting but feasible due to our background as vehicle technicians.

Henry’s particular skills in hydraulic, electrical and bodywork design/construction, combined with Chy’s skills in welding, sheet metal forming and braking systems have both made the construction of this unique vehicle possible.

 

How it all began...

Having seen an advertisement for a small turbine jet engine, we were intrigued and had to have a look. The engine was on a test bed so we had the chance to see it run. As soon as we heard the characteristic roar, knew we had to have it!

Having got the unit home there followed years of research, during which time three or more engines were obtained, two of which came from the SSC project. These were used for spares and testing. We used one of the engines in a controlled destruction to establish safe operating limits – you have to know what you’re doing when the turbine spins at over 60,000 revs-per-minute!

The engine was originally used on the Phantom Fighter aircraft as a self-contained starter unit for the main engines when ground support was not available. It is not designed to operate for more than 40 seconds at any one time, so we had to design elements such as the lubrication, fuel and cooling systems to allow for constant running. We also had to build a transmission system to drive the rear axle. A fibreglass body was fitted to give the kart the necessary aerodynamic shape and ground effect.

A testing and development programme was then undertaken to test our modifications and to build up the terminal speeds until we were ready to set the record.