Hello everyone,
Today, I’d like to share the story of a prototype jet engine we built as our graduation project back in 2019. I'll also include some personal reflections and memories that still feel vivid to me.
Everything began when a German company visited our university to hold a symposium on aircraft components.
At the time, we were juggling multiple projects and courses simultaneously. Our schedule was packed - attending classes in the evenings and dedicating our mornings to projects and coursework.
One day, we arrived at the university exhausted. The hall was overcrowded, but we managed to find a spot and sat down.
After a while, the symposium began. The German company started introducing various components and materials they manufactured. We were listening closely, trying to catch every detail. At some point, it hit me - I hadn’t eaten all day. Suddenly, I started daydreaming about grilling meat over the flames shooting out of a jet engine's exhaust. That's when the idea took root.
I decided then and there: I was going to build a jet engine.
And afterward? Of course, I’d grill the meat. Easy, right?
As soon as the symposium ended, I sat down and started my research. What is a jet engine? How does it work?
(Obviously, I knew what a jet engine was - but I wanted to approach it with a beginner’s mindset. Like baby steps. No rush.)
I watched nearly every video I could find, and I read every available source. I admit - those were tough times. Most of the resources were in English, German, Russian, or Chinese.
(Yes, I’ve been to China and even did an internship there but trust me - reading technical Chinese is a different beast altogether. That’s another level.)
While English was manageable, German, Russian, and Chinese were seriously challenging. Still, I didn’t give up. During that time, while Google Translate became my best friend, some of my international friends also offered valuable help.
The Hard Truth
At that time in Türkiye, we felt like only a few students were genuinely interested in ambitious, hands-on engineering projects like this.
(Why? Honestly, I do have an idea, but it’s complicated. Many students preferred simpler paperwork-based projects. Maybe it felt safer or easier. But in my opinion, if we’re going to call ourselves engineers, we need to take real responsibility and get our hands dirty.)
We did come across some Turkish resources, but most of them were more general and less focused on step-by-step implementation. In contrast, the foreign sources tended to offer more detailed, hands-on guidance, which made them more helpful during our research. 👀
We also reached out to someone in Türkiye who had worked on a similar project in the past. While their effort was truly valuable and inspiring, the details we needed at the time were unfortunately limited.
Building from Nothing
With enough determination, creativity, and a lot of late-night problem-solving, we kept going and pushed forward. But here's the deal - building a jet engine without money? Nearly impossible.
Still, as we always say:
Is it impossible?
Nope. The impossible just takes a little more time. 😉
We finalized our drawings but didn’t have enough funds for materials. That’s when a mix of experience and imagination kicked in. After weathering a short "storm," we started building the machine out of what seemed like thin air.
We produced some parts ourselves in local workshops, and a few kind-hearted factories offered to help us with the rest.
The real challenge came with the compressor - it required advanced CNC machining. No problem, baby!
We redesigned the part for laser cutting and split it into three bolt-together pieces. Brains are free. Use them, right?
The Outcome
After two months of intense work, we completed the prototype and delivered the project successfully.
Oddly enough, they wouldn’t let me grill meat with the exhaust.
“That’s dangerous,” they said.
Oh really? I had no idea. Thanks for the tip. 😐
Can you believe that?
Anyway - one day, I’ll have that barbecue. One day... 🔥👄
If you have any questions or want to chat about the project, feel free to message me on Instagram: @m.enesmermer or directly by clicking the link: https://www.instagram.com/m.enesmermer/
Turkish version available here:
🔗 Download Turkish Blog
Sincerely,
Muhammed Enes MERMER
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