The subject of laminar-turbulent transition is of considerable practical importance and has a wide range of engineering applications. For this reason, the International Union of Applied Mechanics decided to sponsor a third Symposium on "Laminar-Turbulent Transition", which would be organised by the ONERA Toulouse Research Center and held at "Ecole Nationale Superieure de l'Aeronautique et de l'Espace" in 1989. It was supposed that like the two previous IUTAM Symposia (Stuttgart 1979 and Novosibirsk 1984) the symposium would be devoted to experimental of laminar-turbulent transition In fluids, i.e. the and theoretical studies physical problem of transition and mathematical modelling in shear flows. The contributed papers were selected by the Scientific Committee from extended abstracts. The larger number of highly qualified papers submitted for presentation led us to include in the program poster sessions, which could be held during morning, lunch and afternoon breaks, and to take the decision that the symposium should last five days (from Monday 11 to Friday 15 September). An excursion on Wednesday offering a well deserved rest and the occasion of new personal exchanges between the participants seems to have been appreciated by all. The symposium consisted of 8 invited lectures and 62 contributed pa­ pers presented either on oral or poster sessions.