Greetings, all:

I'm hoping someone could help me out, since I'm a newbie with
photography stuff and can scarcely understand how to set the equipment
I've got (it's due to a lack of understanding of a lot of advanced
photo techniques and terms).  I request that you please don't use
phrases like "stop down" because I don't really know what that means.
On the other hand, if you were to say "set the aperature to f/8," I
can do that because I know how to find that adjustment on the camera.

Okay, here's what I've got: a Canon Rebel II S that I'll be using with
a 500mm f/8.0 mirror lens I just bought.  I know a lot of people hate
them, but I got it for under a hundred bucks and it's an inexpensive
and highly portable way for me to get close-up shots of airplanes in
flight.  Previous outings with the traditional lenses I own have
yielded mixed results, with some really good pictures and a lot that
are 90% sky and 10% airplane (like http://caxton.stockton.edu/BigOldCar/picture$89
and http://caxton.stockton.edu/BigOldCar/picture$90.  I'd rather get
results like this: http://www.mod.uk/NR/rdonlyres/E7B5D425-1E95-4F08-ABEB-3640BAF0F6F8/0/LeuchersAi
rshow10.jpg).
That's why the big lens.  Because of what it is, I bought some 800-
speed film to use just with this new lens.  (After I burn through one
roll, I'll probably switch back to my 400-speed film and the lenses
I'm used to using, pending development of that roll.  I'm used to
using the 400 and regular lenses with the camera set to automatic, by
the way.)

It's going to be sunny and bright tomorrow.  Sorry, I don't know which
direction I'll be facing for sure (I think SSW, but don't quote me on
it).

Is the 800-speed film strictly necessary, do you think?

I have read that I should set the shutter speed to 1/90.  Is that
correct with this combination of equipment and conditions?

I also am given to understand that the aperature is not adjustable.
Does that mean that what the camera wants to adjust it to doesn't
matter, or does its setting of aperature affect other settings on the
camera?  (Is aperature a setting within the lens or the camera?)
Should I follow the advice that the camera gives me through its
exposure meter, or ignore it?

I have read that the pictures will be darker than they appear through
the lens.  Should I use a filter?  I have a "skylight" filter, a 2Xnd
and a 4xnd for it.

I have a tripod, but I intend not to use it.  I really don't wanna
carry it around with me.  I hope to lean on the fence or on my wife's
knee (Who am I kidding?  I'll probably end up using my own).  Please
don't flame me on this last point.

What do I need to do to get good results?  Remember, I'm an amateur,
so 'good' to me might not be for a professional.  I'm hoping not to
get responses like, "Mirror lenses are all crap, your pictures will
suck, you're an idiot for trying to get away with not using a
tripod."  By the way, I don't know what "bokeh" is, but I understand
that out-of-focus light sources tend to show up as fuzzy donuts.  I
don't need razor-sharp, rivet-counting quality.  I want to see
exciting (or at least interesting) shots of airplanes doing cool stuff.