Need Help from Aviation Guru's

[BigStig]

Need your Avaiation Help Guys.
I am still a newbee and have a chance of a life time opportunity to photograph the
UofM Survival Flight Bell 430 with the Blue Angels. (Not sure yet if it is one Angel or the flight line)
This is a private shoot and I may even have a bit of influence on how they position the aircraft.
This will be a ground shoot at Willow Run MI. Approx 9:00am to 11:00am

Please can I get your advice, Links to Tutorial, and suggested positioning, Equipmet suggestions etc. Obviously I would rent additional equip for this opportunity if I do not have the right stuff.
I have never photographed something like this So ANy advice will be appreciated.
I have a 40D, Tripod ? Lens's 10-20 Sig. 28-135 Kitlens, 70-200 2.8 Canon and a 150-500 Sig. Also a 150 Sig Macro (Oh I will take a 10d Backup also)
I will be researching this and practicing as much as possible so as not to blow this opp.

Thannks again for reading.
Cheers

[aridan]

I would suggest you Google images of the angels, and find something that you like.

[PhotosGuy]

What's the purpose? Do you have a theme? All shots static? People in them? Etc. Etc. Etc.

[BigStig]

I think all shots are static Frank
Probably no people or maybe pilots of both aircraft and medical crew. Hopefully One of the pictures would be used in the Survival flight anual calendar for next year.
Its not something I have set up I just got an invite as my wife is a flight nurse.

[FlyingPhotog]

Just a first thought but perhaps the UM helo head on with one Blue Angel Jet on each side at a 45 degree angle nose in? Or, maybe a jet on each side perpendicular to the helo and frame it to where you include the entire canopy of each jet in the frame?

UM Staff + BA Pilots in front of the whole lot? Dunno how many people that would be. Ideally, shoot at about 9am with the sun just over one shoulder.

The hard part will be keeping the area below the leading edge extensions on the jets from going too dark on you. A little fill flash might be of help...

Congrats on a fantastic opportunity. Please share images after the fact!!??

[PhotosGuy]

Just a first thought but perhaps the UM helo head on with one Blue Angel Jet on each side at a 45 degree angle nose in? Or, maybe a jet on each side perpendicular to the helo and frame it to where you include the entire canopy of each jet in the frame?

UM Staff + BA Pilots in front of the whole lot? That sounds good to me. Use a tripod to set the shot up so you can concentrate on timing the shot.

Ideally, shoot at about 9am with the sun just over one shoulder. I'd prefer late dawn or early dusk so you can get some reasonable rotor blur without using a ND filter:
Airshow guys - prop freeze? (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=229542)

Then you can get the static shots after.