Why “Flutter” Is a 4-Letter Word for Pilots

Wired follows up its coverage of flutter testing of the 787 with a nice article explaining flutter and its impact on structures:

Flutter phenomena are seen when vibrations occurring in an aircraft match the natural frequency of the structure. If they aren’t properly damped, the oscillations can increase in amplitude, leading to structural damage or even failure. A similar problem occurs in bridges and brought down the Tacoma Narrows Bridge in 1940.