Okay, here's what I would do (looking for a 'that's a dumb idea' or 'I should have thought of that' type response:
If you have other solutions, I'd like to hear them...
Considering that I have plenty of runway and the A/C has always been a reliable performer, I would takeoff 100LBS overgross by adding the fuel. Considering that most limitations can be safely stretched by 150% (I saw this in the C172 POH). Not only can I do this safely, but
I can do this legally. How you ask?
TITLE 14 - AERONAUTICS AND SPACE
CHAPTER I - FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
SUBCHAPTER C - AIRCRAFT
PART 21 - CERTIFICATION PROCEDURES FOR PRODUCTS AND PARTS
subpart h - AIRWORTHINESS CERTIFICATES
21.197 - Special flight permits.
Link to an amendment published at 71 FR 536, Jan. 4, 2006.
(a) A special flight permit may be issued for an aircraft that may not currently meet applicable airworthiness requirements but is capable of safe flight, for the following purposes: (1) Flying the aircraft to a base where repairs, alterations, or maintenance are to be performed, or to a point of storage.
(2) Delivering or exporting the aircraft.
(3) Production flight testing new production aircraft.
(4) Evacuating aircraft from areas of impending danger.
(5) Conducting customer demonstration flights in new production aircraft that have satisfactorily completed production flight tests.
(b) A special flight permit may also be issued to authorize the operation of an aircraft at a weight in excess of its maximum certificated takeoff weight for flight beyond the normal range over water, or over land areas where adequate landing facilities or appropriate fuel is not available. The excess weight that may be authorized under this paragraph is limited to the additional fuel, fuel-carrying facilities, and navigation equipment necessary for the flight.
(c) Upon application, as prescribed in 121.79 and 135.17 of this chapter, a special flight permit with a continuing authorization may be issued for aircraft that may not meet applicable airworthiness requirements but are capable of safe flight for the purpose of flying aircraft to a base where maintenance or alterations are to be performed.
The permit issued under this paragraph is an authorization, including conditions and limitations for flight, which is set forth in the certificate holder's operations specifications. The permit issued under this paragraph may be issued to (1) Certificate holders authorized to conduct operations under Part 121 of this chapter; or (2) Certificate holders authorized to conduct operations under Part 135 for those aircraft they operate and maintain under a continuous airworthiness maintenance program prescribed by 135.411 (a)(2) or (b) of that part.
The permit issued under this paragraph is an authorization, including any conditions and limitations for flight, which is set forth in the certificate holder's operations specifications.
(3) Management specification holders authorized to conduct operations under part 91, subpart K, for those aircraft they operate and maintain under a continuous airworthiness maintenance program prescribed by 91.1411 of this part.
[Doc. No. 5085, 29 FR 14570, Oct. 24, 1964, as amended by Amdt. 2121, 33 FR 6859, May 7, 1968; Amdt. 2151, 45 FR 60170, Sept. 11, 1980; Amdt. 2154, 46 FR 37878, July 23, 1981; Amdt. 2179, 66 FR 21066, Apr. 27, 2001; Amdt. 2184, 68 FR 54559, Sept. 17, 2003]
Read more:
http://cfr.vlex.com/vid/21-special-flight-permits-19559096#ixzz1M9VLVmdQ
Those of us in the Great Lakes region get four beautiful seasons, we don't get too much turbulence even in the summer (and you can easily outclimb it even then), and the winter makes our airplanes have truly amazing performance, not to mention the spectacular visibility.
