Critical point and the continuous cooling transformation test of the third generation aviation bearing steel CSS-42L at cooling rate of 0.02-40 ℃/s were carried out by DIL805A quenching dilatometer with dilatometric method.The static CCT curve was drawn,and the microstructure and Vickers hardness at room temperature were analyzed.The results show that the critical points Ac1 and Ac3 of the CSS-42L steel are 655 ℃ and 738 ℃,respectively.In the process of continuous cooling,only martensitic transformation occurs at different cooling rates,and the starting temperature of martensitic transformation decreases with the decrease of cooling rate.The tested CSS-42L steel has a maximum microhardness of 330 HV50 at the cooling rate of 1.6 ℃/s.