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I am having problems trying to convince a friend of mine not to use an old FOX for BASE jumping and wanted to get some more experienced opinions. The canopy in question is a vented (but not valved) FOX 205. The general condition of the canopy makes me think it has about 250 jumps on it. I hanged it in order to inspect it and when I let it back down onto the ground, the canopy doesn't hold any air. When I do the same thing with my Troll (only 18 jumps on it), it holds air and I have to push the air out to put it back in my stash bag. A significant amount of air goes through the FOX when I try to blow through the material. Also, my friend wieghs about 150 without any gear. Am I being crazy when I try to convince him to not use this canopy?

Have a rigger strength test the material, using a clamp and fish scale the way riggers test older reserve canopies. Jump it on a skydive if it passes those inspections. Convince your friend not to jump in non-easy landing areas since the vent technology without the flaps can produce hard landings.

The canopy is way too small for him. He ought to find something bigger.

What you are describing about the canopy porosity sounds pretty normal to me. F-111 will pass air through. ZP skydiving canopies will trap air. A new F-111 canopy will trap a great deal more air than one that isn't quite so new.

I'd say the wingloading is a much bigger issue than the porosity of the canopy--but remember that I haven't actually seen the canopy in question.

Agreed that porosity doesn't sound like a problem in this situation. I have a FOX with over 400 jumps. It also doesn't hold much air when on the ground, and I've rarely had to push the air out to get it in a stash bag. Still, it flies nicely, but mine had some really good owners that kept good care of it _and_ I have a super light wingloading under it.

If he's insistent, definitely have a rigger give it a good once through.

AFAIK, "F-111" type nylon is designed to be pourous, and it's just a guess, but I'm fairly certain that having vents w/o valves would allow air contained in the cells to escape that much easier than without.

I must have missed your buddies' weight since w/l didn't pop out at me, but everyone elde seems to think it's too small a canopy, so at least reevaluate the size.

With that number of jumps on it, I'd be more concerned with how well it's been maintained, sun exposure, oil, repairs, and water landings, if any. Also, on a canopy that size, I'd want to know how big the person was who had been jumping it before and what type of jumps they did primarily. If they're a big dude that was taking three seconds slider off for 125 jumps, I'd look it over even more carefully.

He isn't hesitant at all, but I am. I am a rigger, but I am also trying to get a more experienced rigger to look at it as well.