Considerable effort has been expended in attempting to explain subconductor oscillation. This oscillation has proved to be a major nuisance ever since increased power requirements necessitated the use of multiconductor bundles on overhead power-transmission lines. In recent publications, the author has pointed to a classical flutter mechanism which is highly sensitive to small changes in the basic mechanical system and which always requires a difference in still-air natural frequencies (e.g. in the horizontal and vertical senses) to admit the possibility of energy extraction from the airstream. The present paper summarises the published results, giving sources of reference and outlining relevance to full-scale problems.