Volmer Jensen VJ-24E

Volmer Jensen VJ-24E SunFun: The Aluminum Glider Revolution

The VJ-24E SunFun is a fascinating bridge between the world of hang gliding and powered flight. Designed by the legendary Volmer Jensen in the mid-1970s, it took the concept of a hang glider but added a critical twist: rigid structure and aerodynamic controls. Unlike the “rag and tube” kites of its era, the SunFun is a proper aircraft built from metal, offering the safety of 3-axis control with the freedom of an open-air cockpit.

Why Is It a Legend?

• All-Metal “Pop-Rivet” Construction: While most ultralights of its time used Dacron sails on loose frames, the SunFun is built like a real airplane. It uses aluminum tubing and pop rivets, with a leading edge formed from styrene foam and covered in doped polyester fabric. It is durable, rigid, and professional.

• True 3-Axis Control: It rejected the “weight-shift” method of hang gliders. The SunFun features a joystick controlling ailerons and elevators, plus a rudder pedal system. It flies with the precision of a conventional plane, making it much safer and controllable in turbulence.

• The “10-Minute” Assembly: This is its superpower. The entire aircraft is designed to be assembled or disassembled in just 10 minutes without a single tool. It uses clever “pip pins” and thumb screws, making it the ultimate trailerable aircraft.

• Versatile Launching: The VJ-24 lineage is unique. It started as a foot-launched glider, evolved into the VJ-24E (foot-launched with an engine behind the pilot), and finally the VJ-24W (with landing gear). It can literally be a powered hang glider or a micro-airplane depending on how you configure it.

Performance and Key Numbers
The SunFun is not about speed; it is about “loitering.” It flies so slowly that it can almost hover in a stiff breeze, allowing you to land in a tennis court.

General Specifications:

• Crew: 1 pilot

• Wingspan: 36 ft 6 in (11.1 m)

• Wing Chord: 4 ft 6 in (1.37 m)

• Wing Area: 163 sq ft (15.1 m²)

• Empty Weight: 200 – 210 lbs (90 – 95 kg) (Powered version)

• Max Takeoff Weight: 400 – 410 lbs (181 – 186 kg)

• Useful Load: Approx. 200 lbs (90 kg)

• Typical Engine Power: 10 – 15 hp (Yamaha KT100 or McCulloch 101)

Performance:

• Glide Ratio: 9.5:1 to 10:1

• Cruise Speed: 30 mph (48 km/h)

• Max Speed: 40 mph (64 km/h)

• Stall Speed: 17 – 18 mph (27 – 29 km/h) (Incredibly slow)

• Rate of Climb: 350 ft/min (1.8 m/s)

• Takeoff Distance: 100 ft (30 m)

• Landing Distance: 100 ft (30 m)

• Fuel Consumption: 1.5 gallons per hour (5.7 L/h)

• Range: Approx. 30 miles (48 km)

In short, the Volmer VJ-24E SunFun is the perfect choice if you want the durability of an aluminum airplane, the portability of a hang glider, and the ability to fly comfortably at speeds slower than a bicycle.