Writer Arthur C Clarke dies at 90

British science fiction writer Sir Arthur C Clarke has died in Sri Lanka at the age of 90.

The Somerset-born author came to fame in 1968 when short story The Sentinel was made into the film 2001: A Space Odyssey by director Stanley Kubrick.

Sir Arthur's vision of future space travel and computing captured the popular imagination.

An aide said he died at 0130 local time in what had been his homeland since 1956 after a cardio-respiratory attack.

Vivid descriptions

A farmer's son, Sir Arthur was educated at Huish's Grammar School in Taunton before joining the civil service.

During World War II, he volunteered for the Royal Air Force, where he worked in the then highly-secretive development of radar, and foresaw the concept of communication satellites.

Sir Arthur's vivid and detailed descriptions of space shuttles, super-computers and rapid communications systems were enjoyed by millions of readers around the world.

In the 1940s, he maintained man would reach the moon by the year 2000, an idea dismissed at the time.

He was the author of more than 100 fiction and non-fiction books, and his writings are credited by many observers with giving science fiction a human and practical face. He collaborated on the screenplay for 2001: A Space Odyssey with Kubrick.

'Great prophet'

British astronomer Sir Patrick Moore had known Sir Arthur since they met as teenagers at the British Interplanetary Society.

Sir Patrick paid tribute to his friend, remembering him as "a very sincere person" with "a strong sense of humour".

Tributes have also come from George Whitesides, the executive director of the National Space Society, with which Sir Arthur served on the board of governors, and fellow science fiction writer Terry Pratchett.

In 1956, after a failed marriage, Sir Arthur moved to Sri Lanka - then called Ceylon - where he lived with a business partner and his family, and pursued his interest in scuba-diving.

His status as the grand old man of science fiction was threatened in 1998 by allegations of child abuse.

He strenuously denied them and was later cleared by an investigation, but the claims caused the confirmation of a knighthood to be delayed.

Since 1995, the author had been largely confined to a wheelchair by post-polio syndrome.

Source BBC News

Airbus A380 to make UK commercial debut

The Airbus A380 "super-jumbo" is due to make its European commercial debut when a flight from Singapore lands at London's Heathrow airport.
Singapore Airlines is the first carrier to operate the new double-decker aircraft on revenue-earning services.

Flight SQ308 is due to arrive at Heathrow at 1505 GMT today 18th march.

British Airways has ordered 12 of the airliners, due to be delivered from 2012, while Virgin Atlantic has ordered six, to arrive from 2013.

The Singapore Airlines flight is expected to have up to 470 passengers on board, each of whom will receive a personalised certificate to commemorate the historic first flight to the UK.

The carrier has three A380s in service, with 16 more on order, and has been using them on flights between Singapore and Sydney, Australia, since October 2007.

Environmental claims

The A380 made its Heathrow debut in May 2006, when a pre-production aircraft arrived to test facilities.

Heathrow's owner BAA has constructed a special pier at Terminal 3 to accommodate A380s, which will also be flown to the airport by Dubai-based Emirates.

Pier 6, as it is known, was completed in 2006 at a cost of £105m and provides space for four of the double-deck airliners.

Other works, costing more than £340m, had to be carried out on the airfield to allow for operations by the world's largest commercial airliner.

Runways had to be resurfaced, lighting upgraded and taxiways changed in preparation for the A380.

Terminal 5, which was opened by the Queen last Friday, will also be able to handle the airliner when it enters service with British Airways.

Airbus is making bold claims for the A380's impact on the environment, saying the aircraft burns 17% less fuel per seat than the current largest airliner.

The company argues that equates to the airliner producing 75g of CO2 per passenger and per kilometre.

Inaugural flight

Friends of the Earth is not convinced by that argument, saying that while cleaner aircraft are required, it expects any benefits to be undermined by the forecast rapid growth in demand for air travel.

Singapore Airlines say the start of commercial A380 services to London will be a "proud moment" for the UK aviation sector.

The airliner's wings are made at Broughton in north Wales and at Filton in Bristol. The Rolls-Royce engines that power Singapore's fleet are built at Derby.

Among those on board the inaugural flight will be Mark Wright from Northamptonshire.

He is a member of the enthusiasts' group First to Fly - who have been onboard a number of inaugural flights.

"I have long been an aviation enthusiast and was really keen on Concorde although I was never fortunate to fly on it," he said.

"I saw the A380 when it came to Farnborough in 2006 and thought it looked terrific. I was particularly impressed with the wings. They were amazing."

source BBC News