Stupid question about flight testing and "the envelope"

In this month's "Combat Aircraft" there is an article on the F-22 and
in it one of the people invloved in flight testing says "Flying at the
edge of the envelope pushes this aircraft harder than any operational
F/A-22 will ever be pushed." Is that hyperbole? There are instances
in the past where aircraft have gone FAR beyond the brochure numbers.
So do they go *beyond* the brochure numbers or are they saying they go
to the typical +9 -3 g's and the flight system prohibits anything
more? Obviously they aren't going to test it to failure in *flight*
but every componant has a design spec and a safety factor. Do they go
*beyond* spec but not beyond the safety factor? Just curious.