A thrust engine of the 200N thrust class serves as the basis for various projects of the Hummingbirds. Based on a small gas turbine from Frank Turbine, after some modifications this engine fulfils a variety of tasks. Basically, a test bench is used to record all the measured variables required for the cycle calculation (thrust, temperatures and pressure at various levels of the engine, etc.).

Based on this, investigations of these and their effects on the engine's cyclic process can be carried out using various manufactured nozzle geometries. For direct observations of the different nozzle geometries, a schlieren optics is available. This engine will also be the basis for investigations of an ejector nozzle (see also ->Link).

Due to an extensive redesign of the outer propellant housing, it is possible to mount a quartz glass cylinder in the area of the combustion chamber. This allows an optical observation of the combustion chamber and thus allows statements about the temperature distribution at the area of the flame tube wall as well as about the flow before entering the combustion chamber. In this configuration, the engine also serves as a showpiece for various public events at the Garching campus.

Due to the extensive measurement technology, an experiment is always carried out on this engine in the winter semester as part of the university practical course "Thermal Fluid Machinery and Flight Propulsion". Here, students are taught basic metrological knowledge and given the opportunity to apply the theory of the lectures in the field of flight propulsion in practice.