ShyT: well said. Especially that the aircraft limitations are there for a reason and that pilots get paid to observe them.
Lu: I appreciate where you were comming from, and I am glad you were able to take the points on board.
Jiff: Re your handgun example. I agree with your proposition, however, it is in no way comparable to the AS350 situation. In particular, you might note that several pilots have described how jack stall only appears during extreme maneuvering, not during normal ops. To draw the analogy with your handgun more accurately, it would be like saying that the safety catch had a design flaw if it came lose after repeatedly (and harshly) bashing the gun on a hard surface when you are reloading. In other words, the "flaw" only appears after gross mishandling. To continue the analogy, there would even be a note attached to the gun warning you that: "if you repeatedly bash the gun on the ground to reload it, the safety catch MAY come loose. To correct this, check safety catch before lifting the gun." Does this put it a little closer to context?
To heedm: The point you raise is an excellent one. Basically you are asking: where do you draw the line. Who defines flaw Vs limitation, gross mishandling Vs routine operations? I guess that is the manufacturers and certification authorities, perhaps Nick might know?