The short-crack propagation behaviour of 8090 AI-LI alloy under different ageing conditions has been investigated. The effect of notch geometry on short fatigue crack growth was also studied. The results show that the geometrical configuration of the notch significantly affects the growth behaviour of the short crack, the growth rates of notched short cracks being much higher than those of long cracks at the same stress intensity factor range Delta K level. The orientations of the specimens had a stronger effect an the growth rate of long cracks than on that of short cracks.