Gas film riding seals have found wide acceptance in pipeline and process industry turbomachinery. The seals have not found many applications in either industrial or aircraft gas turbines, however. Gas turbine engines currently being designed will have higher compression ratios (greater than 30:1). The combination of increased pressure and more aggressive engine efficiency goals will severely tax the capability of present sealing systems. The film riding face seal (FRFS) has emerged as an attractive candidate for providing sealing for the hot high pressure engine compressor discharge air.