"David J" wrote in message
.. .
[...]
Can I safely/legally takeoff 4000 foot runway, 60 air temp elevation 400'
180hp or should I just bite the bullet and pay for the extra fuel to be
unloaded as opposed to taking a chance.

Sounds to me like your instructor should have done a better job instilling
some basic judgment skills during your training.

It is certainly not legal to take off over weight, nor to land over weight.
As for whether it's safe, that depends. But if you don't have the
experience to answer the question yourself, I'd say it's a sure bet it's not
safe for YOU to do so. It's generally not safe for anyone, and the accident
database is filled with pilots who misloaded their aircraft.

As for the cost of unloading fuel, even if you did have to pay another $55,
so what? That's small potatoes compared to the potential costs on not
unloading fuel. But you shouldn't have to. Just inform the FBO in advance
of your need, and they will simply refrain from topping off the tanks prior
to your use of the airplane. If the FBO won't do this, you need to find an
FBO that will; any respectable, safety-oriented FBO provides this service at
no additional charge.

Pete