Originally Posted by nigelh
I flew quite regularly grossly overweight ......, This is NOT advocating flying over MAUW but in a working environment it does happen...... and the aircraft is probably quite capable of lifting much more and flying safely.
Arrrrr please explain? You don't advocate flying over MAUW but admit to doing it reguarly? Mate you can't be a little bit pregnant. Either you are soiled or you are clean, and the "probably capable" bit of your post, well ACFT limits are design limits for structural integrity your machine may fall apart around you airborne and not necessarily on touch down as you described.
Limits are limits-Exceed them at your own and your pax cost, and no I'm not new to the industry and YES I have been operating commercially long enough to have experienced all types of clowns asking to do stupid things in machines. The answer is always no to clowns!
Max