With access and your budget, I think that the EF 100-400mm would be the way to go. It's AF is very good and fast, depending on the body you're using. The ultimate would be a 1D X and a 200-400/+1.4, but that's a $20,000 rig, for when you can't afford to miss any shots.
My friend Stu shoots with the 100-400mm and got this shot yesterday:
Takeoff_ by
My Kona Girl, on Flickr