Skip to main content

Late for school?

An American man has built a jet powered school bus capable of maximum speeds of 587km/h. Explaining that as a school child he found his daily trips in a slow moving school bus frustrating, the man used a surplus engine from a supersonic F4 Phantom jet and a secondhand school bus as the basis for his project.
February 22, 2012 Read time: 1 min
An American man has built a jet powered school bus capable of maximum speeds of 587km/h. Explaining that as a school child he found his daily trips in a slow moving school bus frustrating, the man used a surplus engine from a supersonic F4 Phantom jet and a secondhand school bus as the basis for his project. Custom-built, the turbine powered bus now features few standard components from the original school bus. The man said that he and his associates built the bus to entertain the crowds at drag strip events as well as to deter children from experimenting with drugs and he uses the slogan; "Jets are hot, drugs are not". With its engine on full afterburner the bus is capable of shooting flames over 24m long from its tailpipe, which would certainly deter persistent tailgaters. Fuel economy is somewhat on the low side however, with the bus using 568litres of aviation fuel for each 400m drag strip speed run.

Related Content

  • Innovative solutions to earthmoving needs
    January 3, 2013
    Several manufacturers are offering improved earthmoving machines, with more to come - Mike Woof reports. One of the most notable developments comes from Caterpillar, with the unveiling of a hybrid excavator in the shape of its 336E H model. The machine is having its public launch at the bauma exhibition in Spring 2013 and will start rolling out of the factory in March 2013, while customers will be able to place orders from February 2013. Unlike other hybrid excavators on the market at present, the Cat 336E
  • Evonik hosts awards ceremony in Thailand
    November 18, 2016
    Evonik Industries recently hosted an award ceremony at the Residence of the German Ambassador in Thailand’s capital Bangkok. Evonik used the event to present the “Evonik Road Safety Award” to the Department of Rural Roads, Thailand (DRR). This is in recognition for the DRR’s contributions to road safety in Thailand, especially in rural areas.
  • Highway to hell?
    February 19, 2014
    An enthusiast in the US has built a motorised coffin on wheels, powered by a pulse jet. Its builder, Bob Maddox, has a strong interest in improbable vehicles and built the vehicle using a coffin and a small pulse jet, all mounted on a lightweight chassis and wheels. Weighing just 136kg, his Maddoxjets Coffin Car can accelerate from 0-100km/h in around nine seconds. According to Maddox, he once drove the Coffin Car at 100km/h but was concerned for its stability and wary of attempting to drive it any quicker.
  • Rolls Royce develops its operations
    October 6, 2021
    Rolls-Royce Power Systems is developing its operations with a series of key moves. The firm says it is taking the next step towards a climate-neutral future. By 2030, the Rolls-Royce business unit is to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 35% compared to its 2019 level through the use of new net zero and cero carbon technologies