• Fortigate Firewall Logstash Grok filter

    I’ve been playing with Logstash recently, just this week I was asked to import a Fortigate firewall log. I did this by putting up a logstash syslog interface on a specific port, tagging the inbound traffic as type=fortigate and then using a simple RE and the kv{} filter to parse the log.

    The gist can be seen here, or embedded below:


  • Mini Tyro electric conversion

    So I’ve made some progress on my electrification of the Mini Tyro. After a bit of maths and some guess work I ordered a D2822/14 1450kv outrunner and a Turnigy 18A Plush. The plan is to try a APC 8x4 and a 7x45 prop on it to see what power it draws.

    I made a start by removing the Mills from its mount and cutting a hatch into the wood above the tank. Then the tank was removed and the tank bay floor cut away. The next step was to remove the old firewall because it was too far back to mount the motor on, I could have used standoffs but that would have left a rather small bay behind it for the battery. A new firewall was cut and installed about 3/4" further forward than the old one. This gives a sensible clearance between the front of the fuselage sides and the rear of the prop but also has some room for adjusting the right/down thrust

    As it happens the battery needs to live under the wing, but the space previously occupied by the tank is a perfect home for the ESC, with the Receiver living just behind it, slightly in front of the wing.

    The battery has quite a lot of room to move around under the wing so it will need some sort of restraint, some velcro is likely.  The front end needs tidying somewhat, the covering is looking tatty and I’ve yet to make a cover for the tank, now ESC bay.

    Having said that, I’ve weighed it and run it up and all seems fine.

    Weights

    Complete airframe minus battery is 259g

    The 3S 500mAh battery is 47g

    The 3S 850 mAh battery is 67g

    Power

    Using a 3s and the 7x4.5 prop it pulled 5.9A /  57W WOT. Giving roughly 79.3 W/lb which is probably about right for the little Tyro. I expect the 8x4 might give a good bit more and maybe even too much. We’ll see!

    I’ve yet to test the 8x4 because it needs reaming out to fit the prop adapter.

    I’ll post some pictures when its finished, although the temptation to fly it as it is now is quite large!


  • Multiplex Merlin

    Better late than never! I’ve added some information to the Merlin page here. Which is slightly ironic given I am no longer flying it! But I felt I ought to add something as part of a general spring clean of the blog!


  • Edge 540qq

    The venerable old Edge is still being thrown about quite a lot. I’m trying to practice aerobatics with it rather than just chucking the sticks into the corners. Minor updates to its page here,  it survived a pretty big ’landing’ recently. It is back in the air but isn’t quite as nice to fly as it once was, still loads of fun though!


  • Mini Tyro

    The Tyro page has been updated here, with news of my plans to alter it to be powered by an outrunner.


  • P51 Tidying

    I’ve tidied the page about the funfighter a little bit. It hasn’t been flown it in 18 months or so, typically favouring the Acro Wot when I get to fly IC, but due to restrictions our club have on when IC models can be flown I’m finding that I am mostly flying electric these days. I am considering removing the motor and replacing it with an outrunner, but I can’t quite face cutting into it! Between the Tucano, which flies similarly and the recently purchased Balsacraft Spitfire maybe there isn’t room for it in the hanger anymore and as a result I am thinking about selling it. Its tough to part with an airframe I built though!


  • Beaver update

    I’ve updated the page about the Beaver, it is now hung in my office where, I expect it shall remain. It was a thoroughly enjoyable build but flying free flight isn’t really my thing. I have a few other projects in mind up next, but I expect some day I’ll build another Guillows kit.  The gallery of the build is here.