and with an update...
Been to Topeka (Kansas) in the beginning of May. It was quite an adventure (going as well as getting back) due to the Brussels attacks but - oh boy- once I got there...
I was met by the finest persons and a Matterhorn white little aircraft at Philip Billard Municipal Airfield (KTOP). The first test flight got me promptly promoted to a Billard Bum as take-off was followed swiftly by the first emergency landing due to perceived too high exhaust temperatures. This is what happens if you don't do your homework properly...
Then the radio decide not to work, so the next flights were performed using a small handheld, capable of transmitting up to 5 NM...
Really liked flying Kansas and its great wide open spaces: Kansas is about 9 times bigger than Belgium with half its population... more room than I am used to. I decide to stay in the Topeka aera as the planned trip to Las Vegas and the West Coast fell into water (literally): television reported Las Vegas flooded and hail storms with grape fruit sized boulders on the way. I may be a fool but not by so much I wanted N667JS dented...
4 testflights and confidence growing I flew the little bird to Moundridge (47K). N667JS wished a fond goodbye to Topeka Tower who advised flight following from Kansas City International but due to the limited range of the handheld: 'Then you're on your own, kid! Have fun!'
The little Thorp(edo) thundered on all 6 cylinders 3000 ft AGL to the South West, a warm day but with some strange fog in the distance. Surely smelled smoke a bit later on, checked the T211 and reported to its sole occupant: "No fire. That is good." Looked at the ground and saw the reason: the prairie gets burned down for revitalisation. This was said to me but I hadn't grasped nor the scale of the operation nor the amount of smoke
![Wink ;)](./images/smilies/wink.gif)
Landed without hickups at Moundridge where I left the little aircraft at Southwind Aviation in the expert hands of Mr Patrick Drach. They packed it in a container sending it over the Atlantic towards the Old Continent.
The ship duly arrived at Rotterdam the 6th of June. After forms, more forms and handing hard cold cash to customs N667JS is set to leave the docks for EHHO (Hoogeveen, Netherlands) and re-assembly. The container is scheduled to arrive at ATN Hoogveen this Monday around noon.
If all is well, N667JS should be in the air again within a few weeks and then join its sister-plane N2501A at EBGB.
A word of thanks to all Americans and especially to the Topeka folks and the other Billard Bums. When coming to Belgium please visit EBGB where you shall experience that Belgians also know the meaning of hospitality and warm welcome!
![Image](http://s33.postimg.org/i3k1kg1mz/Thorp_N667_JS_2.jpg)
![Image](http://s33.postimg.org/4uoi3b6ff/disambn667js.jpg)