A head actuator design for a low profile tape drive is configured with a damping system for a head suspension system having flexure springs to accommodate a half-high form factor. The damping system employs hall sensors, for example, mounted on the head carriage that moves with the head carriage to provide position signals that are differentiated to form velocity signals used by a servo loop control system to dampen suspension system resonance. A flexible circuit routing is provided that is manageable for half-high form factors by combining the fine positioner loop and course positioner loop into a single loop, and preventing the head flexible printed circuit from contacting a top cover in the routing to a printed circuit board near the top cover.