From Friday through Sunday the MAKS air show will be open to visitors looking to see the latest aircraft, including test flights of Russia's new T-50 jet.

The best way to avoid hefty parking fees is to get there by public transport. Take a suburban train from Kazansky Station to the Otdykh stop (165 rubles return). From there, a free shuttle bus service takes visitors to Zhukovsky airfield. The train journey takes about an hour. In heavy traffic, the bus journey can also take up to an hour, so budget plenty of time.

Toilet facilities are marginally more plentiful than two years ago, when a shortage of sanitation led to long lines and a great deal of leg crossing. Four temporary buildings with running water and toilets are dotted around the pavilions.

Plenty of stalls sell cold drinks and light snacks, but more food is to be found in the VIP restaurant and the hundred-or-so shashlik stalls arranged around the food court, where you should be able to enjoy the meaty snack for 350 rubles. Beware of unscrupulous traders claiming to charge by weight rather than for the meal.