Jet Engine

Hello. My name is Jet Engine. My job is to make airplanes fly really, really fast. I push the air out behind me with a great big WHOOSH. This pushes the airplane forward through the clouds. It is so much fun. Before I was born, airplanes had propellers on their noses. The propellers would spin and spin and spin to pull the plane through the air. They were nice, but they were a little slow. I wanted to help airplanes fly much faster, like a shooting star across the big blue sky. I knew I could help everyone soar.

Two very smart people had a wonderful idea all about me. Their names were Frank Whittle and Hans von Ohain. They lived in different places but had the same amazing thought at the same time. They thought about a balloon. When you blow up a balloon and let it go without tying it, what happens? It zips and zooms all over the room. Pfffft. That’s how I work. I take in air, warm it up, and push it out the back with a mighty puff. This big puff pushes the airplane forward. My very first time flying was on August 27th, 1939. I felt so proud as I helped my airplane ZOOM into the sky for the very first time. It was the best day ever.

Today, I help people fly all over the big, wide world. Because I can go so fast, you can have breakfast at home and dinner in a new, exciting place far away. I help people visit their families, see tall mountains, and splash in faraway oceans. I love helping you go on amazing adventures and see all the beautiful things in the world. Flying high in the sky is my favorite thing to do. Are you ready to go on an adventure with me? Let's go. WHOOSH.