A question for the photogrphy experts

I have been going through the pictures that I took at the Duxford airshow,
and am struck by how many of the airborne shots came out fuzzy.

It looks as though I have a focus problem. I am using centre weighted
continuous focus which means that it is possible to take a picture even when
the autofocus has not achieved proper focus. The advantage is that there is
no delay between pressing the shutter release and making the exposure. I
have noticed that when I use burst mode, a fast moving aircraft does not
stay in the same relative position in the frame in each exposure. Could it
be that the autofocus temporarily focuses on a patch of sky rather than on
the aircraft?

I know the camera and 70-300VR lens that I use are capable of taking sharp
pictures, so the problem must be in my technique. Do I need to practice
panning more?

I would appreciate having the experts weigh in on the subject.

Thanks in advance,

Indrek Aavisto


--
Criticism is easy; achievement is difficult. W.S. Churchill