An assembly comprising an electromagnetic non-contact brake, a shaft (116, 135) coupled to a flight control surface of an aircraft, and an electromagnetic actuator; in which: the electromagnetic non-contact brake comprises an annular stator assembly including a predetermined number of poles formed about the stator assembly; and a rotor assembly disposed within the stator assembly including a selected number of poles formed about the rotor assembly; the shaft is arranged to extend through a center portion of the rotor assembly and be fixedly attached to the rotor assembly; and in which an electrical connection is adapted to controllably apply electrical power to at least one of the stator assembly and the rotor assembly to cause a plurality of magnetic fields to be simultaneously generated around at least one of the stator assembly and the rotor assembly by the poles of at least one of the stator assembly and the rotor assembly in response to the electrical power being applied, wherein each of the plurality of magnetic fields causes the poles of the stator assembly and the poles of the rotor assembly to be magnetically attracted to one another to substantially prevent the rotor assembly and the shaft from rotating; wherein an electric motor of the electromechanical actuator assembly is configured to place the flight control surface of the aircraft in a selected position during flight in response to operation of a flight control mechanism by a pilot, in which a predetermined electrical voltage and current is applied to the electromagnetic non-contact brake to hold or retain the flight control surface in the selected position until the pilot further operates the flight control mechanism. the electromagnetic non-contact brake comprises an annular stator assembly including a predetermined number of poles formed about the stator assembly; and a rotor assembly disposed within the stator assembly including a selected number of poles formed about the rotor assembly; the shaft is arranged to extend through a center portion of the rotor assembly and be fixedly attached to the rotor assembly; and in which an electrical connection is adapted to controllably apply electrical power to at least one of the stator assembly and the rotor assembly to cause a plurality of magnetic fields to be simultaneously generated around at least one of the stator assembly and the rotor assembly by the poles of at least one of the stator assembly and the rotor assembly in response to the electrical power being applied, wherein each of the plurality of magnetic fields causes the poles of the stator assembly and the poles of the rotor assembly to be magnetically attracted to one another to substantially prevent the rotor assembly and the shaft from rotating; wherein an electric motor of the electromechanical actuator assembly is configured to place the flight control surface of the aircraft in a selected position during flight in response to operation of a flight control mechanism by a pilot, in which a predetermined electrical voltage and current is applied to the electromagnetic non-contact brake to hold or retain the flight control surface in the selected position until the pilot further operates the flight control mechanism.