Renting a Cessna 172 for the weekend? Impress your friends with the knowledge of how to fly a plane. These are general instructions on how to take off from a towered airport. And yes, you do need to know how to fly and have a pilot's license.

[edit] Steps

Perform a thorough pre-flight of the plane by following the checklist.
Get the ATIS or AWOS information for the airport. This frequency can be found on most charts. THis gives you weather and runway information.
Get flight plan clearance from ground or clearance, if there is a clearance frequency. This is only if you filed a flight plan with the FAA, which is strongly recommended.
Get taxi clearance from tower (also on the chart). Taxi to the run-up area near the departure area of the runway ATIS told you was in use:
- Say something like: "North Detroit ground, Cessna 123 (use your tail number), request taxi from Dwight aviation." Every call has three parts: who you're calling (tower), who you are (aircraft type and side number) and what you want (to taxi from a particular place). They'll call you back and tell you where to go. Just read back whatever they said using the "Person called, person calling, message, tail number" format.
At the run-up area, follow the checklist and do your system checks.
Get takeoff clearance from the tower and departure request:
- Use the same three part format, so this call will sound something like: "North Detroit tower, Cessna 123, Number 1 holding short of runway 32 ready for departure." Again, read back whatever they tell you.
Taxi onto the runway. Upon clearance, taxi across the hold bar (yellow dashed and double line) onto the runway, and align the plane with the centerline.
Gently push the throttle forward to full power, while keeping the plane aligned with the centerline by steering with the rudder pedals
Get ready to climb out. When the airspeed reaches 55 knots, gently apply back pressure on the yoke, apply slight right rudder to counter left turning tendency, and pitch the plane to maintain 75 knots for climb out.

[edit] Tips

Obviously the information here represents only a fraction of the whole project of piloting an aircraft.
Get your pilot's license first. You need one to rent an aircraft.
Getting your pilot's license is involved. You need at least 40 hours for a private pilots license, but the new sport pilot program allows you to get a license without a medical (you need a driver's license in lieu of a medical) and only 20 hours of training.
The speed at takeoff will vary depending on the year and type of aircraft. Be familiar with the aircraft you will be flying.
Tower frequencies and runway information can be found in the Airport/Facility directory.
A typical tower, plane transmission sequence might go like this:

  -Tune to Clearance-
  "N184EH is requesting flight plan clearance"
  "4EH, report ready for read back"
  "4EH is ready for read back"
  "4EH you are cleared for a East departure as filed.  Climb out to 3,000 feet and maintain runway heading, expect 8,000 zero one minutes after departure.  Squawk 1054, winds 324 at 4 knots."
  "Cleared as filed, climb out to 3,000 feet runway heading.  Expect 8,000 in one minute.  Squawk 1054, winds 324 at 4 knots. 4EH."
  -Tune to Ground-
  "Dulles ground, Cessna N184EH is at general aviation parking requesting taxi for departure to the East" (the direction of flight is required for VRF, the most common for of private pilot navigation)
  "4EH, taxi to runway 30 using taxiways Juliet, Foxtrot, Zulu, Yankee one one, Quebec.  Contact tower on 120.10 when ready."
  "Taxi to runway 30 using taxiways Juliet, Foxtrot, Zulu, Yankee one one, Quebec.  Contract tower on 120.20 when ready. 4EH."
  -Tune To Tower-
  "Dulles Tower, Cessna N184EH is holding short runway 30"
  "4EH maintain position, heavy traffic is on base leg for touch and go. Warning of possible wake turbulance"
  "Maintain position 4EH"
  "Cessna N184EH, position and hold" (this allows you to get onto the active, but not to takeoff)
  "Position and hold 4EH"
  "N184EH, cleared to takeoff runway 30.  Winds 331 at 5 knots. Contact departure on 125.05"
  "Winds 331 at 5, cleared for departure, Cessna N184EH"
  -Tune to departure-
  "Dulles Departure, Cessna 184EH is with you departing from runway 30 to the East."
  "4EH, climb and maintain 3,000 feet.  Turn left heading 210."
  "Turn left heading 210, climb and maintain 3,000 4EH"
  "4EH, Turn left heading 120, cleared to 8,000"
  "turn left 120, cleared to 8,000.  4EH"
  "Cessna N184EH, you are leaving my airspace.  Frequency change approved.  Maintain own navigation. Good Day"

[edit] Warnings

Flying a plane requires a license and a current medical certificate
Landing is always much harder than taking off
Always do a weight and balance on the plane before bringing passengers or baggage
You must do 3 take offs and landings within the last 90 days to be legal to carry passengers.
Don't fly under the influence.
Always consult the Federal Aviation Regulations (FARs) for applicable laws.

[edit] Things You'll Need

You will need (or wish you had) a pilot's audio headset.
You will need the: airworthiness certificate, registration, radio operator license (if outside the U.S), and aircraft's pilot operating handbook (POH), it has the weight and balance and checklists in it.
Pilot certificate.
Current medical certificate(at least class 3). This is also your student certificate valid for 24 months after issuance.
Valid Government issue Photo Identification (Passport or Driver's License).
Logbook if you hold a student or recreational certificate.