AdamSmith

"The dive speed is the absolute maximum speed above which the aircraft must not fly. Typically, to achieve this speed, the aircraft must enter a dive (steep descent), as the engines cannot produce sufficient thrust to overcome aerodynamic drag in level flight. At the dive speed, excessive aircraft vibrations develop which put the aircraft structural integrity at stake." http://theflyingengineer.com/tag/overspeed/

So nobody likes beaver?

P.S. I was reading a compendium of Clerihews today (newish ones) and noticed a lack of one of their two key attributes: Besides rhyming the name of a famous person with some nonsense, they seem funniest when they also have the imbalance of two very short lines and two ungainly long ones. As: Sir Christopher Wren Said, 'I am going to dine with some men. If anyone calls, Say I'm designing Saint Paul's.' Of course sufficiently nonsensical content can render the line-length imbalance less critical to the thing's success. As in my favorite of them all, on account of making no sense whatever: Edward the Confessor Slept under the dresser. When that began to pall He slept in the hall.

Not exactly on topic but close enough?

ROFL The word odious seems to be having a run lately. Struggling to recall where else I saw it used just yesterday. Meanwhile, a not-quite-relevant-but-why-not Clerihew... Sir Humphrey Davy Detested gravy. He lived with the odium Of having discovered sodium.

Well, you made me look it up. Googling just now reveals that when a plane reaches its certified "Vne" ("never-exceed speed"), the least added stress such as a slight bump of turbulence is enough to push the airframe past its structural limits. So in a sense you're right, but it need not be a maneuver or motion remotely as severe as what you depicted.

P.S. RA1 can correct if I'm wrong, but I believe it IS possible to tear the wings off by putting the aircraft into a powered dive. I think this can create aerodynamic stresses beyond the structural failure point.

And what thread would be complete without...

Aha! And here is the 787 test:

Here is video of the 777 wing being tested to destruction, and failing at 154% of design limit. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ai2HmvAXcU0 I first saw this on a business visit to the Paris headquarters of Dassault Systemes, a Dassault Aviation spinoff that makes the software used by Boeing (and Airbus) to design their aircraft. They were showing it to me to make the point that their structural analysis software, used in designing the structure, accurately predicted the wing failure modes to within a whisker of where it actually did fail in this physical test.

"Well, don't look to me, Dolores. All my money is tied up in cash."

If you are a nervous flyer who worries about turbulence snapping off the wing, have a look at this video... http://www.businessinsider.com/the-wings-of-this-airbus-plane-can-bend-way-more-than-you-thought-possible-2016-3 ...it shows an Airbus fuselage being tested in production (actually in late stage of design verification). They strap down the body, then flex the wing up and down through a range of 17 feet -- way more than the little wiggles you ever see out the window in flight.

Those shots come next.

I get 'em for the price of pouring a few shots into them.

The Mohel & his Jar of 25,000 Foreskins http://www.bangitout.com/the-mohel-his-jar-of-25-000-foreskins/

Eek. Alexander Litvinenko and the most radioactive towel in history The Russian dissident was murdered in London with polonium, but only on the third attempt. In an extract from his book A Very Expensive Poison, Luke Harding traces the toxic trail the clueless assassins spread around the capital http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/mar/06/alexander-litvinenko-and-the-most-radioactive-towel-in-history

YUM

On a director's responsibility to oust likable but underperforming managers: Directors must react as did the chorus-girl bride of an 85-year-old multimillionaire when he asked whether she would love him if he lost his money. "Of course," the young beauty replied, "I would miss you, but I would still love you." (2002) On CEOs who manipulate earnings by taking restructuring charges: Their behavior brings to mind Voltaire's comment on sexual experimentation: "Once a philosopher, twice a pervert." (1998) On growth in market share (and referring to Berkshire Vice Chairman Charlie Munger): "In apparel, Fruit of the Loom increased unit sales by 10 million dozen, or 14%, with shipments of intimate apparel for women and girls growing by 31%. Charlie, who is far more knowledgeable than I am on this subject, assures me that women are not wearing more underwear. With this expert input, I can only conclude that our market share in the women's category must be growing rapidly." (2004) And many more: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-02-26/money-and-sex-warren-buffett-the-winking-sage-of-omaha