ALF Scholarship Winners Gain Seaplane Ratings
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by Erin Coulter
Central Maine Aviation and Tough Kitty Flying hosted the ALF Scholarship winners during the 2025 seaplane season. Each one excelled in their training and earned their Airplane Single Engine Sea rating. Jim Forbes established the scholarship to honor his late wife, Alice. Alice loved flying with Jim in their seaplane and she was a great supporter of women in aviation.
The recipients were Carla Soplantila, Betsy Smith and Sara O’Connor from the Eastern New England chapter, and Maggie Kerns and Yulia Bougouin, from the Connecticut chapter. They quickly realized why Alice loved seaplane flying. Flying off of Big Indian Pond in Saint Albans, ME, the girls trained in a Cessna 172 XP or a Cessna 180. The girls learned how to gracefully operate a floatplane and have fun while doing it.
Jim Forbes generously covered the entire rating for each student to give them the opportunity to develop a passion like his late wife Alice had for the freedom of seaplane flying. From learning how to operate the aircraft on the water, to perfecting the techniques required for a glassy water, rough water, or confined area takeoff, each student had a smile on their face every time they had a chance to fly.
We look forward to hosting more scholarship recipients in the future. From each recipient and the instructors at Central Maine Aviation and Tough Kitty Flying, thank you Jim for the wonderful opportunity!
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