Originally Posted by MD83FO
in the regulatory sense, can we plan to fly an approach above max approach climb limiting weight if instead of the published GA we plan for EOSID ?
I would say No. You must comply with the certification weight requirements ie be at or below Approach Climb or Landing climb limited weights, regardless of terrain. I don't believe there is any relief from the landing certification requirements based on takeoff performance ie EOSIDs. On top of that comes the potentially more-limiting Missed Approach gradient requirements that ggofpac mentions.
Originally Posted by Starbear
Take an example where you have just departed an airport at maximum TOM and suffer and engine failure/fire, say one that won't extinguish. You decide that you want to return immediately to the same runway at the current weight/mass.
A fire that will not go out would be considered an emergency, and there is no requirement to comply with any certification rules in that case.
If I was on fire there is absolutely no way I'd be not conducting an immediate return to land simply because I was over the normal Landing Climb or Approach Climb limit weight. The other option, going somewhere else/burning off fuel, is obviously not going to work. To keep the G/A option up your sleeve, you could keep the speed up (until committed to land) to aid climbing, as well as land at a lower flap setting.