Just waded through parts of the mentioned beechtalk thread. A few interesting points:
-Vx vs. obstacle clearance speed
-FAA approved handbooks vs. operational reality
-leaning engines for max power takeoffs
-the importance of type (and even model) specifics (e.g. gear up or leave it down for obstacle clearance?)
-always fly at low weights in case of challenging takeoffs
-for clearing obstacles, the best technique depends (among other things) on how far away and how high it is
-and so on
with a 1200fpm climb in still air and anything up to 2500fpm in say a 15-20kt headwind
John Eckalbar’s Flying the Beech Bonanza has a very good section on obstacle clearing take off technique, and planning. It also poses the question why Beech stopped publishing after 1984 performance for take off with 20 degrees flap, where Vx is around 20 knots slower than Vx with flaps up.
It would be great if all GA types had a book like this one.
“The truth is that (outside the bush flying world) most runways with significant obstacles at the end are not very short (otherwise they would be _very _ challenging, also for landing). In case of shortish (but not really short) hard-surface runways,pre.”
Then you need to try Elstree (EGTR). 650m r/w up slopping on 26 towards power cables and down slopping on 08 towards trees. Not a problem when you are used to it but at first many get it wrong and burn the brakes.
Ben, may be an urban myth, but an N reg Citation used to fly into Elstree in the 1990’s?
The small jets climb fast. A CJ4 regularly gets airborne in about 300m, at Shoreham. An it isn’t N-reg 
Quote with a 1200fpm climb in still air and anything up to 2500fpm in say a 15-20kt headwind
Like boscomantico, I am also puzzled by this. Can you explain the principles of this one to me, Peter?
I fail to see what effect wind speed has on climb rate.
fpm = feet per mile 
I fail to see what effect wind speed has on climb rate.
Huge impact on climb angle vs ground (but not rate ie vs time).
If your best climb speed is 60 knots, and it produces 1,000 fpm, then it takes 6,070 feet (60nm divided by 60) horizontally to climb 1,000 feet. If you are climbing into a headwind of 20 knots, the climb rate remains 1,000 fpm, but it now only takes approximately 4,000 feet horizontally (40 knots ground speed divided by 60 for one minute travel).
This also explains why you increase your best glide speed into a headwind, as it will maximise your gliding range for the wind.
