Here is the translation of the aviation knowledge content.

The prerequisites for great aircraft photography, in my opinion based on priority, are:

1. Selection of the shooting location,也就是做计划
2. Praying for good weather
3. Understanding the light
4. Good lenses
5. A good camera
6. Photographic technique
7. Post-processing skills (Many people think buying a good camera is enough to take good photos, but actually, its importance only ranks third from last)

Generally speaking, steps 1 and 7 take the most time. Here is a summary of the planning phase, for friends interested in the Tattoo and the Farnborough Airshow. <img src=https://imgproc.airliners.net/photos/airliners/1/9/7/5116791.jpg?v=v449ae37e977>

1 Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) The plan to see the Tattoo started after I returned from Zhuhai that year. Colleague K strongly recommended this airshow, saying that basically all military aircraft and aerobatic displays from Europe and America could be seen. Additionally, 2018 marked the 100th anniversary of the Royal Air Force, so there were bound to be some special activities, so we agreed to travel together again.

RIAT, Royal International Air Tattoo, is held annually in July at RAF Fairford in the UK. According to officials, it is the world’s largest military airshow, with hundreds of military aircraft from major Western nations gathering together. In addition to static displays on the ground, there are spectacular flight displays lasting over 8 hours every day without interruption. According to official releases, a total of 302 aircraft from 30 countries participated in this airshow.

You need to know that attending the Tattoo requires a ticket, and there are several types of tickets. Generally, people purchase what is called a MACH membership package: MACH-3: 6-day ticket from July 11th to 16th, £230 MACH-2: 4-day ticket from July 13th to 16th, £210 MACH-1: 2-day ticket from July 14th to 15th, £190

There are also 1-day tickets valid only on Saturday or Sunday, 1 Day Ticket Friday, Saturday or Sunday Priced at £45, and like the MACH tickets above, they must be purchased in advance on the official website.

So the first step in preparation is to register as a member on the official website of the Royal Air Force Charitable Trust Enterprises, This way, you will receive email notifications as soon as any news is released.

Ticket sales started on October 25th last year, and we bought ours together online on October 26th via credit card. The ticket type was MACH 2, which is a four-day pass from Saturday the 13th to Monday the 16th of July, priced at £210.

The benefits of MACH tickets include a dedicated enclosure and seating, The viewing location is close to the Runway and situated in the center of the airfield, which should be the best photography spot at the Tattoo. Additionally, the dedicated enclosure has a lounge, food outlets, restrooms, and free drinking water, so it is worth paying a bit more.

Generally speaking, MACH tickets sell out a few days after sales begin, and the earlier you book, the better your location might be (back row, high position), so you must act fast. This is what the location we bought looks like.

MACH tickets are mailed to the attendee’s address about a month before the airshow, so be sure not to forget to bring them with you when attending.

Also included with the ticket are daily stubs, which can be exchanged for the official handbook, and used to obtain the daily flight schedule brochure.

Regarding accommodation for the Tattoo, people generally look for hotels near the town of Swindon. However, during the airshow, local hotel prices will skyrocket several times over, so it is best to book half a year in advance. But even if you book early, you can’t be completely at ease, for example, this time we encountered a special situation where our homestay closed down.

2 Farnborough International Airshow

Farnborough International Airshow (English: Farnborough International Airshow) is an international airshow held at Farnborough Airport in Hampshire, UK. The airshow is held in mid-July of every even-numbered year, usually lasting for 7 days. The first five days are trade days, and the last two days are open to the public. In the 2010 airshow, a total of 1,400 companies from 44 countries participated, and companies signed orders worth 47 billion US dollars, with an estimated 280,000 visitors.

Preparation for the Farnborough Airshow is relatively simple. This time, we registered as Trade Visitors, which required filling in information such as workplace and job title. So we purchased the “Trade Visitor - Valid for one day (16th - 20th)” ticket, which is a one-day ticket for professional visitors, priced at £32, or £38.4 including tax.

The 2018 Farnborough Airshow was a professional exhibition from July 16th to 20th, and open to the general public on the weekend of the 21st and 22nd. If you want to see commercial flight displays, the professional exhibition period is more suitable, but the weekend flight displays include many military aircraft and are even more spectacular. However, having just come from the Tattoo, I was probably numb to military aircraft by then, so for me, watching the commercial flights was just the right change of pace.

By the way, the Farnborough ticket isn’t mailed, you just need to print the e-ticket yourself in advance, and scan it at the venue entrance.

For accommodation, it’s best to just arrange to stay in London, as taking the train from Waterloo Station takes only a few dozen minutes. There is also a free shuttle bus from the station to the airport, there are many visitors during the airshow, just follow the crowd, you won’t get lost.