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PH Aviation Flap Actuator - RV14

Bavafa

Well Known Member
Just wondering if anyone has installed a PH Flap motor in a 14 and can summarize its advantage over the standard flap motor. I know that it has an internal position sensor and no safety wire required other than that not sure what is superior/advantage to the standard flap motor.

I am interested to get one but like to understand the benefits before jumping in.
 
Just wondering if anyone has installed a PH Flap motor in a 14 and can summarize its advantage over the standard flap motor. I know that it has an internal position sensor and no safety wire required other than that not sure what is superior/advantage to the standard flap motor.

I am interested to get one but like to understand the benefits before jumping in.

I put the PH Aviation Flap motor in my RV-10 due to reports of stock flap motors leaking grease over time. Supposedly, PH Aviation design won't leak. (???) Time will tell. Only have 45 hours on plane. Flap motor working good so far.
 
In addition to what’s already been stated, I believe the PH Aviation actuator is a little cheaper too. You will have to modify the stock bracket because the PH actuator is not the same length as the stock actuator. As I recall the instructions were clear and it only took a few hours. I’m not flying yet but I have cycled the flaps many times and it works like a champ.
 
PH Flap

So far (~50 hrs.) the PH flap working perfect on my 14A. Just ordered one for the 10 I'm going to build. Very robust design albeit a little heavier. Internal flap sensor position makes it easier to install.
 
Flap Actuator

I'd love to see a wiring diagram for use with this actuator and a GAD 27.

Thanks!

JET
 
Mine

Here is my clip of schematic
 

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I just completed my Ph motor install. The bracket modification was easy and straight forward per the guidance on the site. The Ph motor also has internal stops so the motor doesn't keep running when it reaches the end of it's travel. There is a cautionary note that when you are rigging the flaps to ensure the motor stops before the flaps reach their limit.
 
I believe that I am the first RV-14 builder to put the PH Aviation flap motor in. If you find any issues with the instructions, let me know so I can revise them and send them to Pat Hatch for future builders. He was great to deal with and instrumental in prototyping the installation.

I have over 100 hours and 14 months of flying and no problems with the flap motor. It is really nice to be able to trust the position sensor’s stability. I would not recommend that anyone building an RV-14 think twice before putting in the PH Aviation unit.

I have seen a couple flap errors coming from the VP-X that controls it, but resolved those by backing off the VP-X setting for the position to use as a down limit. The VP-X is the shortcoming there because, as far as I can tell, you can’t tell it to drive the flap motor down to position X plus Y seconds and call it good for a down stop. So if you set the down limit to where the flap motor stops itself, the position sensor as digitized in the VP-X can be off by one or two when it gets to the stop under aerodynamic loads in flight, and the VP-X interprets this as a flap fault because it has been driving the motor with no change in position. Maybe there is a better solution to that, but my workaround has worked so far.
 
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