Abstract: Fuel flow and/or engine speed is electrically controlled in accordance with a rate-of-change (acceleration or deceleration) value computed from one or more sensed parameters such as accelerator pedal position, throttle position, engine speed, exhaust temperature, intake manifold pressure, fuel temperature, etc. as well as stored engine parameters. A difference between a desired rate-of-change and a measured actual rate-of-change in engine speed is used to correspondingly change an engine control, for example a fuel control rack in a diesel engine fuel pump, a throttle valve in a carburetor, a timer for a fuel injection valve, a fuel valve to a turbine, or other control. The desired rate of change in engine speed may be critically damped, for example by multiplying by a percent or other fraction of a difference between a desired fuel flow and a present fuel flow, so as to avoid overshoot.