Apparatus and methods for testing performance of a material for use in a jet engine

A method of adapting a miniature jet engine to test a material, the method comprising:

• removing an original component from the miniature jet engine;
• substituting a new component in place of the original component, wherein the new component is constructed from the material and wherein the new component corresponds to a component of a full-size jet engine;
• and
• configuring the miniature jet engine with one or more sensors for reporting operational data relating to a failure mode of the new component.

A method of studying a failure mode of a jet engine, the method comprising:

• removing an original component from a miniature jet engine;
• substituting a new component in place of the original component, wherein the new component is constructed from a material used in corresponding component of a full-size jet engine;
• running one or more tests on the miniature jet engine;
• and
• in between the one or more tests, disassembling the jet engine and making a measurement relating to the failure mode on the new component.