Jet engines are relatively simple in their basic design, but advancements in gas turbine engine technology have mostly done away with the cool-looking bucket-type reverse thrust systems.

This is where the second goal of backyard jet engines come in – thrust. You need a usable amount of thrust before you can strap that engine to a go-cart and go cruising around the neighborhood.

A pulse jet engine operates by generating thrust through a series of rapid combustion pulses. The process begins when air and fuel are drawn into the combustion chamber. In a valved pulse jet ...