can learn anything, from graphic design, to how to grow a YouTube channel. The

Skillshare是一個線上社群 讓你學習從圖像設計到經營YouTube頻道

first 650 people to sign up will get two months for just 99 Cents. Check out the

前650位註冊用戶將獲得每月99美分的優惠方案 點擊下方網址獲得更多資訊

link below. In the late 1960's, Dassault Aviation made a huge bet. The company

在1960年代晚期，達梭航太決定來場豪賭

designed its first commercial airliner, the Mercure 100, to do one thing

推出該公司第一款商用客機，達梭水星100

fantastically well. Fly short routes more efficiently than any other airliner. With

只為一個目標：在短程飛行上比其他客機更有效率

the hope of taking on rival giants like Boeing, Dassault invested large sums into

為了對抗像波音這樣的航太巨人 達梭投入了巨額資金

developing its new jet, and built several factories in anticipation of demand. But

並開設數條生產線來滿足預期中的需求量

if you've never heard of the Mercure, it's because airlines weren't interested

如果你沒聽過它 那是因為當時的航空公司都對它並沒有興趣

in buying it. And Dassault's new jet would go down as one of the worst commercial

達梭的這款新型噴射機

failures in aviation history.

成為了史上最大的商業失敗之一

designed and built by French aircraft manufacturer Dassault,

由法國的航太製造商達梭設計開發

the Mercure 100 first flew in 1971. It was an impressive aircraft for its day

水星100 於1971年首次啟航

with advanced aerodynamics and a wider cabin than its competitors. And it

其先進的空氣動力學設計和寬廣的機艙空間 受到各界矚目

offered some pretty impressive features, including a heads-up display system for

此外還配備了極為先進的設備 例如駕駛艙內的抬頭顯示系統

its pilots. The Mercure had great performance characteristics, especially

這架水星客機具有很好的性能特徵

climbing out of congested airports. But most importantly, it was efficient. The

尤其在繁忙的機場中更為出色

Mercure had been highly optimized for short-range air routes. So here's a plane

更重要的是它很有效率

that would save Airlines money. But to understand why virtually no airline

水星客機專為短程航線而生

ended up buying it, we need to look at the Mercure's development, and why

所以它理論上會為航空公司節省成本

Dassault built the aircraft in the first place. In the 1960s Dassault was a

而為了理解它為何不受青睞

company renowned for its iconic Mirage military fighter aircraft and Falcon

我們必須了解水星客機的開發過程

business jets, but the company had bigger ambitions and had spotted an opportunity.

以及達梭航太建造它的原因

See many civil air routes around the world were actually very short, under a

1960年代

thousand miles and at the time a lot of these short haul routes were served by

達梭航太以生產幻象戰機 和獵鷹商務噴射客機聞名

Boeing's recently introduced 737 and Douglas DC-9. Dassault figured that if it

而他們有著更大的野心 並發現一個大展身手的好機會

could design an airliner optimized specifically for these very short routes

事實上，世界上許多國內航線都很短 不到1000英里 (約1609公里)

then it could outperform Boeing's and Douglas's offerings in a key segment of

而大多時候這些航線都是由 波音新推出的737

the market. With low operating costs and a break-even load factor, airlines

和道格拉斯DC-9來執飛

initially showed interest. But building such a plane was an ambitious

達梭航太認為如果能專門為了短程航線 設計出一款飛機

undertaking. Luckily for Dassault the French

它在該領域的表現可能超越波音和道格拉斯 並成為分割市場版圖的關鍵

government was also convinced of the market demand for a specialized

憑著較低的營運成本和收支平衡負載率 一開始成功吸引到航空公司的注意

short-range airliner. The government was eager for Dassault to build a 737

然而這樣的計畫只是空有野心的承諾

competitor and to spur France's aviation industry. It provided a loan for just

幸好達梭航太成功說服法國政府

over half the development costs, which were to be repaid through sales of the

認為這樣的市場需求 使短程客機的發展前景看好

aircraft. Development started in 1967 and Dassault was so confident in the Mercure

當局急切地希望達梭推出一款 能和波音737抗衡的產品

concept that had built four factories across France to meet the anticipated

藉此刺激法國的航空製造業

demand. Reportedly the company was expecting to

研發資金中有一半來自政府投資

built its 300th airliner in less than a decade. Like the rival Boeing 737, the

預計在銷售獲利中回收成本

Mercure was powered by a pair of proven but now dated Pratt & Whitney turbo fans

研發始於1967年 達梭航太對於水星客機的概念很有信心

But despite having virtually the same engines as the 737, the Mercure could

為了因應預期中的銷售量 而在法國各地共建造四間工廠

carry more passengers and despite being larger the Mercure could even out climb

該公司在報告中指出 預計要在十年內打造三百架

the 737. These impressive performance advantages were due to the Mercure being

一如其對手波音737

so well optimized for short sectors. By significantly reducing fuel tank size,

水星客機配備兩具當時最先進的 普惠渦輪風扇發動機

Dassault reduced the structural weight of its airliner by as much as 10%. By

儘管動力引擎和737一模一樣 水星客機能承載更多乘客

using state-of-the-art computer design tools, Dassault created a specialized wing

雖然體積比737更大 速度卻更快

giving the Mercure excellent climb and descent performance - an important

這些性能優點都是針對短程飛行而設計

metric for efficient short haul flights. But these advantages, of course, come with

藉由大幅縮小油箱

some trade-offs. See a fully loaded Mercure had a maximum range of only one

達梭為該型客機減少約10%的結構重量

thousand miles. A Boeing 737-200 had a much greater range, up to three times as

藉由當時最先進的電腦軟體 設計出特製的機翼形狀

much on some later variants. But there was also another important design

賦予水星客機極佳的爬升和下降性能 在短程飛行中相當受用

difference. A 737 was a robust aircraft which could be suited to serve both

為了這些優點 設計時必然有些取捨和犧牲

short and medium sectors, so Boeing was able to adapt the airframe and adopt new

一架滿載的水星客機 最高航程只有1000英里 (約1609公里)

engines to cater to different segments of the market

而一架波音737-200能飛更遠 其衍生型甚至擁有三倍航程

a 737-100 introduced in 1968 carried a 103 passengers over 1,700

更重要的還有其他設計差異

miles. But after four decades of development the 737 had evolved into an

波音737是一款性能強大的客機 被設計來應付短程和中程航行

entire family of aircraft, with some variants having more than twice the

於是波音能藉由改造機體和更換引擎

passenger capacity and range of the original. While the Mercure had also been

以迎合不同的市場需求

designed with stretch potential, its mission was always going to be decidedly

1968年推出的737-100能承載103位旅客 飛行長達1700英里 (約2735公里) 遠

short-haul. Modifying the aircraft to increase its range so it could serve a

然而發展了四十年後 已經衍生出一個737家族

broader segment of the market like the 737 wasn't going to be easy.

有些衍生型的載客量甚至是原型的兩倍

And so the Mercure's high degree of design optimization for short-haul

雖然水星客機也被設計成具有衍生的潛力

routes, rather than being a competitive advantage quickly became an enormous

它的目標仍然是以短程客機為主

problem. Dassault aggressively marketed the Mercure as an economical choice for

想要增加其航程 讓它跟737一樣擁有更寬廣的市場

airlines. With its unparalleled short range performance, it should have been

並不是一件容易的事

attractive to airlines that were operating 737's

既然水星客機是以短程航線為目標來設計

and DC-9's on short-haul routes. But the Mercure refused to sell. See if

這些所謂的「優勢」 很快地變成它的銷售弱點

you operate the Mercure out of France, Dassault's proposition makes some sense.

達梭航太積極地將其宣傳為 經濟實惠的選擇

But from outlying European countries like Spain, the Mercure's limited range

照理說它在短程飛行的優勢

is... well very limiting. And in the United States that limited range becomes an

應該能吸引到原本使用737和DC-9的航空 用在短程航線上

even bigger problem. Airlines, as it turns out, we're willing to take a hit on

然而它沒有被賣出去

operating efficiency even if it meant they'd have an aircraft that was

如果以法國的機場為樞紐 達梭的客機還派得上用場

versatile to fill both medium and short range roles. Some argue that Dassault's

但是地處偏遠一點的歐洲國家，像西班牙 水星客機有限的航程就難以應付啦

decision to market the Mercure as a direct 737 competitor also contributed

而在美國境內 這樣的窘境更加明顯

to its commercial failure. Well in many ways the Mercure was a conventional

結果顯示 航空公司大多希望

airliner its range made it more of a high-capacity regional jet. But there

能更有效率地運用其手上的班機

were other factors going against the aircraft, like the 1970 Oil Crisis which

這意味著他們更喜歡 能夠同時應付中程和短程的機型

limited Airlines purchasing power, a devalued US dollar and a high rate of

有些人認為達梭當年 將水星客機塑造為737的競爭對手

European inflation - all of which had made the Mercure

也是導致其銷售失敗的原因之一

more expensive to purchase. Air Inter, an airline in which the French government

水星客機的航程 使其定位侷限在地區性的高承載噴射機

had a large ownership stake, was the only airline to ever purchase Mercure's and it

但還有其他因素對其銷售不利

ordered only 10. An 11th Mercure, a prototype that had been refurbished was

例如1970年石油危機 使航空公司財政緊縮

later also delivered to the airline. Dassault struggled to recover from its

加上美元貶值 以及歐洲嚴重的通貨膨脹

colossal commercial miscalculation, and reportedly the company would need to

種種因素導致水星客機的價格居高不下

sell somewhere between 120 and 150

由法國政府控股的 法國內陸航空 (Air Inter)

Mercure's just to break even. So the company raced to develop improved

是該型客機唯一買家 且僅僅買下10架

versions like the Mercure 200C, which was to have improved range. But the

至於第11架是原型機 被翻新後也交給了法國內陸航空

Mercure design's had been so carefully optimized for short routes, you could say

達梭航太試圖從這次嚴重的 商業失敗中翻身

the company had engineered itself into a corner. Because the extensive design

根據分析

modifications that would have been needed to give the Mercure additional

至少需要賣出120到150架水星客機 才能回收成本

fuel capacity, well, were simply too expensive to ever make it a profitable

於是公司決定研發進階版本 例如水星200C

proposition. The 11 Mercure's that did enter service would go on to fly until

增加其航程

1995. They safely carried over 44 million passengers and made over 400,000 flights -

然而其原先設計只適合短程飛行

albeit short efficient flights. But the story of French

該公司等於把自己逼入一條死胡同

aviation didn't end with the Mercure, it was really just the beginning.

因為衍生型的改良設計 必須擴大其油箱容量

I've been getting a lot of emails asking for advice on growing a YouTube channel,

售價又更上層樓 雪上加霜

so I want to share some insights and to plug our sponsor Skillshare, an online

最後總共11架水星客機投入營運 直到1995年為止

learning community with over 18,000 courses on just about anything, including

期間執行了44萬次航班且無事故 累積載運量達4400萬人次

design business technology, even courses specifically designed to help YouTube

當然，都是短程航線

creators. If you're gonna start a YouTube channel, persistence and creating quality

但水星客機作為先驅 仍為法國的航太發展寫下嶄新的一頁

content is just the beginning, because there's more to this YouTube thing than

常常有人寫信問我 該怎麼經營YouTube頻道

meets the eye. Every minute 300 hours of content gets

所以我想跟大家分享一個好東西 同時也是我們贊助商的Skillshare

uploaded to YouTube, so if you want your videos to stand out, you'll need to

一個擁有超過18000個課程的線上學習平台 內容包羅萬象

understand how YouTube actually works, the importance of things like effective

有設計、商業、科技 甚至是專為YouTuber設計的課程

video descriptions, SEO tags, video thumbnails, sharing on social media, even

若你要經營一個YouTube頻道 維持影片的品質和數量只是第一步

the time of day you upload can impact your chances of success. The formula that

除了影片要吸睛之外 還有更多要學的

makes a successful video is more of an art than a science, so you want to make

在YouTube上平均每分鐘 有多達300小時長的影片被上傳

sure you have all your bases covered. A great Skillshare course to help you do

想要讓你的影片脫穎而出 就必須了解YouTube究竟如何運作

that is Matt Ballek's How To Grow Your YouTube Channel which teaches the

例如影片下方的內容描述怎麼寫、

fundamentals of optimizing your video so you have a much better shot of reaching

如何運用標籤改變你的搜尋排名、 影片縮圖、社群網站分享

viewers. I'd also recommend checking out Phil Ebiner's Youtube's Best Practices

甚至是上傳日期都可能影響你的成功機率

for a great high level discussion on how you can find and grow your audience. Of

要找出成功的方程式 不只是科學問題，更是一門藝術

course you could scour the internet for bits and pieces of this information, but

所以至少要把基本功練好

if you're anything like me you'd rather spend your time actually making videos.

Skillshare上有一門很棒的課程 Matt Ballek的《如何經營你的YouTube頻道》

And that's why Skillshare with its thousands of videos designed to help you

揭露原理 教你如何調整作法來吸引觀眾

with YouTube video editing, animation and much more is such a fantastic resource.

另外我也推薦Phil Ebiner的 《YouTube最佳指南》

The first 650 viewers who sign up for Skillshare using the link in the

裡面詳細討論到 如何找到目標客群並增加瀏覽量

description will get two months of learning for just 99 cents, after that

當然你也可以到處爬文 在其他地方找到類似資訊

it's just $10 a month. Whatever your passion skill share have got you covered.

但如果你像我一樣 想把時間花在真正的製作影片上