Non-destructive Testing (NDT) is well-known as an integral part of the through-life operation of all modern aircraft. Indeed, NDT is also interwoven with current design and manufacturing philosophies. I was, therefore, delighted to see that this extremely important topic is now covered by a 477-page book.

Firstly, the book sets the context in which NDT is used by the aerospace industry and explains design philosophies such as the concepts of damage tolerance and inspection intervals. This is important as it explains why NDT is needed and how it fits into the aerospace industry.

The book then goes on to delve into the core NDT methods, such as ultrasonics, theromography and eddy currents. This is a daunting breadth of subject matter, as NDT is very much an interdisciplinary subject. It means that these technique chapters can only really serve as introductions to these topics which each warrant books in their own right. Understandably then, some technical subtleties and things like new techniques are glossed over. However, the really nice aspects of these chapters are the real-world practical examples, which come from the author's own experience. I can see these examples being of significant use to readers who already have an NDT background in a different sector. They would also be useful for engineering students or practicing engineers who need to understand this application.

Having viewed NDT from a technique perspective, the book then changes tack and considers two particular aerospace application challenges: detection of corrosion in aluminium structures and the inspection of composite materials. The book then concludes with a comprehensive chapter describing how the performance of NDT is measured, a critical yet overlooked subject that is very clearly described here.

In summary, this is a welcome book on NDT in aerospace. It is jam-packed with numerous real-world examples and has nice chapters that consider the big picture of why NDT is performed.