Focused Expertise and Quality

Thanks to Wolfgang Matt’s friendly support and business ties with Oxai, I had the opportunity to visit Oxai in Shanghai last late fall. Our small Swiss delegation—consisting of Felix Andres, Wolfgang Matt, and myself—was personally welcomed at Shanghai’s modern and spacious airport by company owner Roger Mao and driven to the hotel via massive highways, bridges, and tunnels. The next morning, he would pick us up and take us to his facility. After a night of fitful sleep, we found ourselves in the hotel lobby far too early, filled with eager anticipation. The subsequent drive to Oxai was—like all subsequent drives through Shanghai—a unique experience. It’s amazing how people navigate the traffic—

concentrated in a major city, but not overwhelming. The route to Oxai takes us down a long street lined with thousands of small and large businesses, eventually leading us to a typical industrial park with multi-story workshops, warehouses, and parking lots. Oxai’s production of F3A models occupies the entire second floor of a modest building. Here, 37 employees manufacture the much-admired F3A models—handling everything from design to the shipment of the finished aircraft all over the world.

Already at the last World Power-Driven Aerobatics Championships

In Argentina, numerous Oxai aircraft could be seen in the front rows. The best pilots have their aircraft built by Oxai anyway. Such a construction project usually begins with a drawing—often just a sketch—provided by the customer, which Oxai then quickly converts into a CAD design. The customer then has the opportunity to request any final changes. Once they give the go-ahead, they receive the prototype a few weeks later, ready for installation and extensive test flights. Production of small batches begins only then—and only upon receipt of corresponding orders. The fuselage cross-sections and wing profiles are designed using computer-

are cut with high precision using computer-controlled laser cutting machines and are then used to create the master model from foam segments.

The molds created using the master models are used to produce the fuselage, wings, and tail assembly using conventional sandwich construction. Oxai primarily uses balsa wood as the core material. In some cases, this is replaced by rigid foam panels. In contrast to the quick and cheaper production of the airframe using surface resins without post-treatment, the parts here are removed from the molds in a relatively unfinished state, then coated with spray filler, sanded, and finally painted. Weight changes are checked and recorded after each step of the process.

Before the highly intricate painting work begins, the model is fully assembled and all the fittings—such as the rudders—are checked. I am amazed by the precision and meticulousness demonstrated by the men and women on the job. This requires a high level of concentration and a calm demeanor. All the highly imaginative decorative elements are measured according to a precise color scheme and then applied one color at a time using transparent stencils produced by the plotter. In between, the transitions are polished smooth. Anyone ordering a replacement part can be confident that the colors will match perfectly. The process concludes with a coat of clear varnish. GRP models—or at least GRP hulls—are nothing out of the ordinary these days. In my view, however, Oxai remains unmatched to date with its high-precision manufacturing, which is perfect in every respect.

The fact that the Oxai team wanted to show us not only their production facility but also the airfield would be a matter of course for us as well. However, for us, the drive to the airfield would take us halfway across Switzerland. We finally reached the site—a huge parking lot right next to the Formula 1 track and grandstand. The local club has unlimited use of the parking lot for about nine months. There’s also a spacious clubhouse. Since the grounds are guarded—and access is only possible when the guard opens the gate—even vandals would have little chance there.

Managing Director Roger Mao showed us much more than just his company. Filled with pride for his city, he took us to the Cultural Museum and guided us to many other Shanghai landmarks. The vibrant energy of this city captivates you. State-of-the-art architecture and technology stand side by side with the simple and the improvised. Street vendors stand right next to massive commercial buildings. In anticipation of the 2010 World Expo, construction activity is even more intense than usual. In the city center, traffic is being rerouted through tunnels over long stretches to make room for pedestrians. Tens of thousands of electric scooters and bicycles bring the streets and alleys to life. Bottom line: We met some very kind, highly competent, and yet humble people on the Oxai team. I’m convinced that we in the West have a lot of catching up to do in this regard.