Find out when and where the action will take place. Be prepared for takeoffs, landings and aerial stunts. If you shoot with a digital camera, set your ISO to 200 or 400. Create a sense of speed. Focus on a plane as it approaches you, and shoot when the plane is in front of you.
Most air shows offer rides in the planes.
Photo industry expert Dave Metz, a longtime air show photographer, has some tips for air-show photography. He also suggests adding a 1.4x teleconverter to the IS lens for a maximum focal length of 560mm. For pictures of people and planes on the ground, Metz suggests using a wide-angle lens. And if it's sunny, use a polarizing filter. Metz also notes that weather is a big variable.