The Moscow International Aerospace Show, better known to amateurs as MAKS (Mejdunarodny Aviatsionno-Kosmitcheski Salon) is held once every 2 years at Zhukovsky airport, south of Moscow.

It’s a mythical salon that you have to do at least once (Isn’t it Dede..). The real risk is to take a liking to it and meet there every two years.

MAKS is also a trip to Russia. Even if things get are simplified, travel planning always has a bit of work to do to obtain a visa. But once the precious sesame got, direction Moscow. Let’s put it bluntly, for your first trip, I’ll recommend you prefer public transport over car rental. The traffic in Moscow is intense and the rules of conduct are ‘special’ for the unaccustomed. In addition, airports are now well served by public transport. You can also arrange with your hotel taxi transfers for a small fee.

To get to Zhukovsky, also use transport together. From Kazansky station, an express train, the Sputnik, will take you to the station at kilometer 42 (it’s a sign…). Then an unceasing noria of the bus will drop you off at the living room gates. And now welcome to MAKS.

The show takes place over six days, normally at the end of August. Plan to spend at least 3 full days to make the most of the show with a day devoted to static, a day in public area to visit the stands and pavilions and soak up the spirit of the show and Russian patriotism and the third day to settle on the platform Media.

Indeed, MAKS has the distinction of having the most back-days during almost all of the demonstrations and therefore ruin your photos. A detour through the media platform is therefore almost Must. It has two interests: to be on the other side of the track (and therefore without backlight) and to be just below the area of Presentation. You can take pictures at 70-200mm…Just plan the traffic jams earpiece.

The static of the MAKS combines the advantage of being able to admire the latest models of the Russian aviation industry and mythical planes out of reserves. So this year we were able to admire the Su-47 Berkut!

Plan good walking shoes as the static extends to both sides of a two-kilometre tarmac. This year on static you could admire the Tupolev Tu-144, Tupolev Tu-154, Tupolev Tu-155, Tupolev Tu-160 Blackjack, Tupolev Tu-22M Backfire, Tupolev Tu-95 Bear as well as the Myasishchev VM-T Atlante. While on the Mig side were the MiG-3, MiG-15 Fagot, MiG-15 UTI, MiG-21 Fishbed, MiG-27 Flogger, MiG-29K, MiG-29SMT, , MiG-31 Foxhound, MiG-35.

For lovers of rotating sails the tray was provided with the series of Kamov Ka-226, Kamov Ka-32, Kamov Ka-52, Kamov Ka-62, Kazan Ansat and not to mention Mil Mi-17 Hip, Mil Mi-171, Mil Mi-2 Hoplite, Mil Mi-24P Hind, Mil Mi-26 Halo, Mil Mi-28 Havoc, Mil Mi-35 Hind, Mil Mi-38, Mil Mi-8 Hip.

As for the stands, the stands spread across the public area will allow lovers of patches, models and other goodies to have fun while the pavilions are home to the invited countries and aerospace industry. Note a beautiful presentation of the missiles Russian…

Finally, the day on the platform media allows you to admire the in-flight presentations without backlight and above all take advantage of short-haul planes. I was able to use the entire range 60-600mm SIGMA in the same sequence. Half of the photos were taken a focal length of 300mm or less…

It also allows you to take the planes from a different angle and therefore to have photos that are out of the ordinary. It is also a superb factory of memories and highlights.

In the end, you will understand that one does not return unscathed from such a trip and that the leitmotif on return is “Fuck, another 2 years …I can therefore invite you, at your peril, to take the plunge and schedule your next holiday for August 2021 somewhere on the side of the Moskova.