  The 33 s pulsing component observed from AE Aqr is frequently assumed to be
the result of accretion onto the surface of a rotating white dwarf. The
validity of this assumption is discussed in the present paper. I show that
under the conditions of interest the white dwarf is in the state of supersonic
propeller and the efficiency of plasma penetration into its magnetosphere is <
0.1%. This is too small to explain the observed luminosity of the pulsing
component. Moreover, I find that for the currently established value of the
angle between the magnetic and rotational axes of the white dwarf, the material
entering the magnetosphere at the boundary can never reach its surface by
flowing along the magnetic field lines. I conclude that the assumption about
the direct accretion onto the surface of the white dwarf in AE Aqr contradicts
the observational data obtained in the optical/UV and thus cannot be accepted.
