SCIENCE students were given a flying start when the RAF dropped into a Cwmbran school on Monday.

Youngsters at Llantarnam Comprehensive school were joined by members of the RAF and asked to put their knowledge to the test. A RAF officer about to set off for Basra in Iraq was on hand to show students the importance of science in military life.

Corporal Dave Hornsey is based at the RAF careers office in Cardiff and before heading out to Iraq for a four-month tour took part in the RAF tour of schools to promote the air force.

Llantarnam School was the only Torfaen school on the RAF educational tour and students revelled in the projects they set.

All based on essential skills needed in the air force, students were asked to calculate their own fitness levels, prepare nutritious meals, use a series of electrical connections to light up a helicopter landing pad and identify dangers on a field map.

Crpl Hornsey said: "The kids love it because it's learning without them realising they are learning. Each task is designed to develop the group's communication and teamwork and skills differently as well as having an underlying message about the tasks carried out by an air force officer."

The workshops were staged at five schools throughout South Wales as part of an initiative to put a career in the air force at the front of children's minds, said Crpl Hornsey.

Year nine students Jenny Fitzpatrick, 14, David Morris, 13, and Alex James, 14, all got engrossed in the RAF projects that came to the class room. Alex said one of the tasks was a fitness test for the RAF.

He said: "We have to measure whose heart rate settles down the quickest after exercise."

Jenny said: "I'm not particularly good at science usually but it is much better learning it like this. We did a task just before about making a connection so that all the lightbulbs light up so that it would be safe for a helicopter to land."

Her classmate David also enjoyed the real-life science experience. He said: "These tasks are alright actually - I usually love science but it does help doing it like this."

In one task his group discovered he would have passed the RAF fitness test.

"I feel marvellous that I could have got into the RAF as long as I got to go in a Merlin helicopter."