skip checklist items. He knows the PIC must be able to perform under pressure. But the training and visualization all came together. I made no mistakes and finessed every landing velvety-soft. "I can tell you really love to fly," Kingsford said as he congratulated me on earning the rating. I beamed. The past 10 hours of flight time were the most fun I'd ever had flying; I'm hooked on floats! MORE OBSERVATIONS Finish your training early or stay an extra day and you can fly over the Harding Icefield's mind-boggling glaciers and over the iceberg-laden Prince William Sound, sights that don't exist in the lower 48. The seaplane training hugely improved my stick and rudder skills, which were lazy after flying a Cessna 210 for a decade. Even at regular airports, where the runway is dictated for me, I've become much more observant of the surrounding environment before and during my flights, and much more aware of my decision-making process-two of the ultimate keys to flying safely. For me, float flying in rugged Alaska is the ultimate flying adventure. I can't wait to go back. AOPA CRISTA V. WORTHY is the managing editor of Pilot Get- aways magazine and editor of The Flyline, the monthly publication of the Idaho Aviation Association. CAPTION here Caption here Caption here Caption here Caption here Caption here Caption here Caption here Caption here Caption here Caption here Caption here Caption here Caption here Caption here Caption here Caption here Caption here Caption here Caption here Caption here Caption here Caption here Caption here Caption here www.aopa.org/pilot AOPA PILOT | 57http://www.aopa.org/pilot