Thanks Lookleft.
I'm not confused about the difference between planning a flight and doing a flight. I have some exposure to and experience of the difference between forecast weather conditions and 'on paper' representations as to the conditions of a destination aerodrome, on the one hand, and dealing with reality on the other.
I'm confused about what and how you change things after you've taken off, having taken off at a weight calculated by reference to the conditions forecast before take off.
If you in fact "worked out pre-flight that you were limited [and you] reduced your fuel (tankering possibly) or payload", how do you increase fuel on board or passengers on board or cargo on board after take off, when you find out that the weather conditions at your destination are, in fact, 'better' than the ones you planned on? I can envisage you going a more direct route and landing with more fuel than planned, and therefore at a higher landing weight than planned. Any other way of landing heavier than planned, in accordance with the rules?
And what do you do after take off when you find out that the weather conditions at your destination are, in fact, 'worse' than the ones you'd planned on? I can envisage you flying around for 'a while' to burn fuel to reduce landing weight. Any other options?
(PS: Thanks, too, to 404T. Digesting your post now.)
Last edited by Lead Balloon; 7th Sep 2021 at 09:32.