Keith20EH Posted April 18, 2022 Report Posted April 18, 2022 Hi Vintage fans, I just removed my vacuum pump, in prep for the Garmin auto pilot. I installed the Flight Enhancements electric step in place of the vacuum driven servo to raise and lower my step. The Kit and instructions were very good and complete. I only had to buy about 10 feet of wire, a switch and a fuse holder for the required 1 amp fuse. The install went well, slightly more than the estimated 5 hours. I used the air line as conduit to run the wire from the servo to a separate switch on my panel. I wanted the step to be operated after start and when taxiing in, not on the beacon or master switch, which is an option. The hardest part was removing the bracket the Brittain servo mounted to with a cut off wheel. (Very careful to not grind into anything other than the bracket). Here are a few picture to any one interested. 5 2
Ragsf15e Posted April 18, 2022 Report Posted April 18, 2022 8 minutes ago, Keith20EH said: Hi Vintage fans, I just removed my vacuum pump, in prep for the Garmin auto pilot. I installed the Flight Enhancements electric step in place of the vacuum driven servo to raise and lower my step. The Kit and instructions were very good and complete. I only had to buy about 10 feet of wire, a switch and a fuse holder for the required 1 amp fuse. The install went well, slightly more than the estimated 5 hours. I used the air line as conduit to run the wire from the servo to a separate switch on my panel. I wanted the step to be operated after start and when taxiing in, not on the beacon or master switch, which is an option. The hardest part was removing the bracket the Brittain servo mounted to with a cut off wheel. (Very careful to not grind into anything other than the bracket). Here are a few picture to any one interested. Nice job!
Keith20EH Posted April 18, 2022 Author Report Posted April 18, 2022 BTW, after removing vac pump, filters hoses, regulator, servo, etc and adding electric servo, my empty weight dropped about 5 lbs to 1639.5 2
carusoam Posted April 18, 2022 Report Posted April 18, 2022 Nice work Keith! Great pirep for Rob’s / flight enhancement’s electric step servo mod. inviting @takair to cruise by… The 5Lbs is interesting… Best regards, -a- 1
Briwoo Posted April 18, 2022 Report Posted April 18, 2022 So what are you doing with the old step actuator??
Keith20EH Posted April 18, 2022 Author Report Posted April 18, 2022 Now the old step servo resides on my shop museum shelf next to the removed gyro instruments, vacuum pump and and other assorted fossils.
Planegary Posted April 19, 2022 Report Posted April 19, 2022 I have done his mod and have the old step actuatorif it will help anybody
carusoam Posted April 19, 2022 Report Posted April 19, 2022 13 hours ago, Briwoo said: So what are you doing with the old step actuator?? Welcome aboard Bri! See note above for another available step actuator… Then compare the economics of replacement between the two options… Best regards, -a-
Seymour Posted May 13, 2022 Report Posted May 13, 2022 I'm looking for an AP experienced (even once) with the vacuum, step removal, and the electric step installation somewhere in New England or the Northeast. Any references? This is a great (and timely) pirep! The avionics shop that installed our GFC500 and GI275s completed the step wiring from the beacon switch to the tail and removed the vacuum AI from the panel, but the vacuum removal and step installation still need to be completed. ...so there'll be one more step servo on a hangar museum shelf soon.
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