start a YouTube channel. Like we just did. Check out the link in the description.

學點新技術 甚至像我們一樣開始了自己的Youtube頻道

The first 150 people to sign up using the link below will get a two month free trail.

前一百五十個使用資訊欄連結的人 可以享受兩個月的免費試用

The 1960's were a fascinating time for

1960年代是個讓人深深著迷的民航時代

civil aviation. Full of incredible stories like the story of how Lockheed,

這年代有許多的航空傳奇

an aerospace company known for its military aircraft, set out to build the

像是以設計頂尖軍用機聞名的洛克基德

world's most advanced airliner. And that's exactly what they did.

開始發展全世界最先進民航機的故事

Passengers loved it's spacious cabin and smooth, quiet ride. Pilots boasted about

乘客熱愛它寬廣的機艙 以及其飛行時的平穩安靜

its handling, power, and ergonomics. Nearly 50 years ago, this aircraft could fly

飛行員們讚嘆它的駕駛手感 推力十足的引擎與符合人體工學的設計

itself from takeoff to landing without any of the pilots touching the controls.

近五十年前的它不須駕駛員操作 就可以自己完成起飛到降落

But this is also the same aircraft that nearly bankrupt the company that built

但同時這架客機也差點讓製造商洛克希德破產

it. Generating billions of dollars in losses and guaranteeing that Lockheed

這架客機的發展造成洛克希德數十億的損失

would never try to build another airliner.

讓洛克希德再也不發展新客機

When launched the L-1011 TriStar was the most technologically advanced commercial

洛克希德L-1011的 科技創新與財務失敗

airliner ever. Making leaps forward in efficiency, comfort, and safety. The

當L-1011三星式客機投入服務時 是當時最先進的客機

TriStar introduced innovations that should have made it a commercial success.

在燃油效率與旅客舒適度有很大的進步

This aircraft should have helped Lockheed leapfrog ahead of its

三星式客機的技術革新理應要讓它大賣

competition. The Tristar featured a highly advanced autopilot system. It

它應該要幫助洛克希德領先競爭對手的

could land the plane at certain airports in completely blind, zero visibility

三星式客機設有先進的自動駕駛系統

weather, when other planes of the era, well they would need to divert to other

在特定的機場它能在能見度為零的天氣降落

airports. And its degree of system redundancy earned the L-1011 an

而其他同年代的飛機只能轉移至其他機場

excellent reputation for safety. Lockheed even put extra effort into the TriStar's

在安全方面的諸多優良設計為它贏得的好名聲

cabin. It wasn't your typical cramped cattle car. It was different. It was sleek

洛克希德甚至多花了些心力在客艙上

and spacious, nothing like its competitors. This was, by

它跟貨艙等級的典型的載客客機不一樣 它很不同

just about any measure, a superior aircraft. It was ahead of its time. But

它的機艙很先進、空間很足 它的競爭對手完全比不上

how did such a highly-revered aircraft like the L-1011 turn out to be such a

總體來說，它是一架優於同期的客機 甚至可以說是使用超前技術的客機

huge financial failure? To answer that question, you have to go back to 1966. You

那為什麼如此受人尊崇的客機 會造成這麼慘烈的財務失敗呢

could say it began with a man named Frank Kolk, one of the head honchos at

若想理解原因，你比須回到1966年

American Airlines. American was in the market for a new type of aircraft. At the

這一切可以說是因美國航空的 其中一個負責人法蘭克寇克而起

time there was a lot of excitement over Boeing 747, a large, efficient wide-body

當時的美國市場需要一種新型客機

promising to be lucrative for Airlines. But Kolk worried about American's ability

當時全美都還沉浸在波音747的興奮當中 這架巨無霸寬體客機對航空公司來說非常划算

to fill seats on something as large as a 747. What he really needed was something

但寇克為美國市場能不能把波音747坐滿 感到擔憂

that carried less passengers (around 250) but with the efficiency of a

他認為他需要是 高油耗效率的第二代寬體客機客機並

second-generation wide-body airliner. So Kolk put the word out to rival aircraft

攜帶較少的乘客，大約兩百五十名左右

manufacturers. Boeing had enough on their plate

寇克因此知會眾航空器生產商

they were busy raking it in with their 747 and 737 programs. But Douglas and

此時的波音正專注於自家的波音747與737計畫

Lockheed were interested. Kolk initially wanted a twin-engine jet, but the

道格拉斯與洛克希德表示有意參與這項委託

Federal Aviation Administration 60-minute rule would prove to be a

一開始寇克想要的是雙引擎客機但 美國聯邦航空總署的新雙發延程飛行法上路了

challenge. The 60-minute rule meant that any twin-engine civil aircraft could

雙發延程飛行法表示任何民用雙引擎客機 不能執行備降機場之間超過六十分鐘航程

only fly as far as 60 minutes from an airport should it need to divert in an

以避免遇上需要緊急返航的事故

emergency. Not so practical for airlines that wanted to fly across oceans. But a 3

這對想進行跨洋飛行的航空公司來說十分不便

engine tri-jet configuration could get around the 60 minute rule, yet still be

但如果是三引擎客機就可以迴避 雙發延程飛行法了

more efficient than the 4 engine jets that were crossing oceans at the time.

同時又能有比四引擎長途客機優秀的油耗比

Douglas, which was in the process of merging with McDonnell Aircraft, had a

當時正與麥克唐納飛行器公司合併的道格拉斯

history of building successful jet-powered airliners. They wanted to

有很多成功噴射客機的設計經驗

keep development costs low, so their approach was to use technologies and

他們希望能減少開銷

systems which they had already developed. Lockheed on the other hand, had never

所以他們就繼續沿用先前已有的科技與系統

built a jet-powered airliner and their last commercial aircraft, the turboprop

而另一邊的洛克希德卻沒有 噴射客機的設計經驗

driven Electra, well it was kind of a disaster. Plagued by early accidents and

他們的上一架客機是螺旋槳客機 洛歇L-188，一架很失敗的客機

poor sales. Lockheed had something to prove, so they would set out to build an

摔很多賣像又差

advanced airliner to make rival McDonnell Douglas's entry look like

這次洛克希德想證明自己

yesterday's news. After all, this was the company that had just finished building

他們想要設計一架非常先進的客機讓 對手麥道的產品看起來過時

the SR-71 Blackbird. So, surely they could handle designing an

畢竟，洛克希德才剛造出黑鳥偵察機

airliner. Lockheed's design called for a center-mounted engine to receive air

很明顯的，他們一定能設計出客機

through a curving S-duct. The problem was, there wasn't an engine in production short

洛克希德在設計上將中央引擎安置在機身內 這引擎靠著S型的導氣管讓引擎抽取空氣

enough to fit the installation. And the only engine manufacturer to have

但這設計有個問題 當時沒有這麼小的引擎可以塞進機尾

anything on the drawing board that would fit, was Rolls-Royce. But what they had

只有勞斯萊斯的畫出來的引擎 有塞得進去的希望

looked promising. A lighter more efficient engine that would give the

但這引擎看起來很優秀

L-1011 an advantage. But here's the thing, someone at Rolls Royce must have been

這引擎輕巧、油耗效率優秀 可以為L-1011帶來優勢

one hell of a smooth talker, because Rolls Royce was about to

但現在有個問題，勞斯萊斯一定很會講話

seriously over promise and under deliver.

因為接下來勞斯萊斯給出的引擎難以達到目標

Even before Rolls-Royce's engine would fail the bird-strike test, shattering its

在勞斯萊斯的引擎進行鳥擊測驗失敗把 創新的扇葉撞爛前

innovative Hyfill fanstage to pieces, it had been struggling. After years of

勞斯萊斯就一直掙扎著

work, it still couldn't meet the performance requirements that it had promised

經過多年努力他們還是達不到 當初答應洛克希德的性能

Lockheed. And the financial situation at Rolls-Royce was a mess. In 1971, it was

而此時勞斯萊斯的財務狀況早已是一團糟

forced to declare bankruptcy. And Rolls pointed the finger squarely at the

1971年勞斯萊斯宣告破產

L-1011 program. But things were also looking bad on Lockheed's end. Its own

勞斯萊斯只能為洛克希德欠缺的引擎祈禱了 而洛克希德這邊情況也不優

financial situation by now had deteriorated. It struggled with cost

由於計畫的超支與軍用訂單的取消

overruns and other defense project cancellations. And a Rolls-Royce

洛克希德的財務開始惡化

bankruptcy would mean no engine for the L-1011. Finding an alternative would mean

勞斯萊斯因為破產無法為L-1011提供引擎

massive delays that Lockheed was in no position to ride out. But you can't get

但洛克希德無法為了另找引擎而延後計畫

any more British than Rolls-Royce, and the Government wasn't about to let a

再也沒有比勞斯萊斯更有英國特色了

company of such national importance just disappear. So, the British government

英國政府不願這麼有國際影響力的 公司就這樣消失

nationalized the company and worked with the Americans to guarantee bank loans

英國政府便將勞斯萊斯國有化 並向美國公司確保有貸款進行引擎研發

for Lockheed, so that there would be an L-1011 to purchase those Rolls-Royce

如此一來便能確保L-1011將使用 由勞斯萊斯賣出的引擎

engines. And this allowed Rolls-Royce to sort out their engineering issues. And

勞斯萊斯因此有能力解決引擎上的技術問題

they ended up with a fantastic engine. But for Lockheed, there was always an

最終的成品十分優異

elephant in the room. For years, American Airlines has dreamed of having a quiet

但洛克希德這方就沒有那麼幸運了

plane with virtually smokeless engines as comfortable as the 747, but able to

多年以來美國航空都希望能擁使用安靜 並完全無煙的引擎

land at almost any commercial airport. Introducing the new DC-10 Luxury-Liner

同時擁有與波音747同等舒適度 又能在大不分民用機場起降的客機

See, even before the whole engine debacle, American Airlines had decided to go with

讓我們像您介紹DC-10豪華客機

the rival DC-10. McDonnell Douglas was a proven manufacturer with a track record

在發生引擎供應問題前 美國航空就選擇使用麥道的DC-10了

in civil aviation. Lockheed on the other hand was the new player. While the L-1011

在民航這一方面麥道是十分有保證的生產商

would pick up early sales from the large Airlines, its sales would always lag

而洛克希德卻是新加入的競爭者

behind the DC-10, even as the DC-10 started blowing out its cargo doors and

在銷售初期L-1011被一些大型航空採用

sprinkling the Midwest with engine parts. But the big problem was that these

之後就一直追不上DC-10的銷售量

aircraft were too big fish sharing a little pond. There wasn't a big enough

即使DC-10的艙門一直爆炸、 引擎也有不少問題

market to support two wide-body tri-jets and sales of both suffered for it.

但其實最困擾這兩個競爭對手的問題是 這塊市場太小了

And by the late 1970's and early 80's, a new kind of aircraft had entered the

三引擎寬體客機市場無法支持兩者 洛克希德與麥道皆應此吃上苦頭

market. The efficient wide-body twin-jet that Frank Kolk had always really wanted.

1970年代末到1980初期 一種全新的客機開始打入市場

Newly formed Airbus had introduced the A300, taking a big chunk out of both

高油耗效率雙引擎寬體客機 也就是法蘭克寇克一直想要的

L-1011 and DC-10 tri-jet sales. Lockheed would only ever sell half the TriStars it

剛成立不久加入競爭的空中巴士 推出了A-300

would need just to break even, and it was eventually forced to shut down

此舉嚴重阻礙了L-1011與DC-10的銷路

production in 1984. The TriStar certainly wasn't perfect. No machine is. Some claim

洛克希德賣出的的三星式客機 只夠收回開發一半的成本

it was over-engineered, making it a bit of a maintenance hog. But it was the most

但最終其生產線在1984年關閉

advanced airliner of its day, save maybe for the Concorde. The Tristar would earn

三星式客機明顯不是台完美機器 沒有機器是完美的

a fantastic safety record and it was loved by pilots and passengers alike. But

有人說三星式客機過度設計 造成其維護保養不方便

it couldn't get past its rocky start and the realities of an overcrowded and

但它是當代最先進的客機 也許沒比協和式那麼先進就是了

quickly changing market. The L-1011 was a technological marvel, but by Lockheed's

三星式客機有著優良的飛安紀錄 同時它也備受乘客與飛行員喜愛

own admission, a financial failure. And that goes to show you that great design,

但它無法克服起步的困難 以及市場過度飽又變化迅速的殘酷現實

engineering, and business go hand in hand. Whether in aviation or any other field,

L-1011可稱為科技奇蹟 但對洛克希德來說是個財務失敗

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從這次的故事我們可以了解到 科技與商務要同時兼具

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這時就該讓SkillShare上場了

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SkillShare有超過一萬七千堂涵蓋設計、 軟體使用到商務的各種課程

With Ease in AfterEffects. Just a couple years ago, I had no idea what

SkillShare吸引我的有這些課程 AE入門與AE動畫製作輕鬆上手

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一年前我不知道AE是啥

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但現在我用AE做這些影片

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我強烈推薦使用SkillShare 因為有陡峭的學習曲線存在

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所以接下來別浪費時間看低品質的 Youtube教學影片

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好好花時間看專業教師提供的高品質課程 來增進自己的技能

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前一百五十個使用資訊欄連結的人 可以得到兩個月的免費試用

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之後一個月的費用為十美金

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不論你興趣為何，SkillsShare都能幫助你成長