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Renting a Cessna 182 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, it does help if you already know how to fly and have a pilot's license.



  1. Fly a Cessna 182 Step 1.jpg
    Perform a thorough pre-flight of the plane by following the checklist.
  2. Fly a Cessna 182 Step 2.jpg
    Get the ATIS or AWOS information for the airport. This frequency can be found on most charts or in the A/FD.
  3. Fly a Cessna 182 Step 3.jpg
    Get taxi clearance from ground control, frequency also in the A/FD.
  4. Fly a Cessna 182 Step 4.jpg
    Taxi to the run-up area near the departure area of the runway ground control told you was in use:
  5. Fly a Cessna 182 Step 5.jpg
    Say something like: "North Detroit ground, Cessna 69524 (use your tail number),at Dwight aviation with foxtrot(ATIS info name), ready to taxi, VFR south bound." Every call has four parts: who you are (i.e. type of aircraft & tail number), where you are, who you are calling (tower, ground, center etc), and what you want (to taxi, land, transition etc). They'll call you back and tell you where to go. Just repeat whatever they said using the "Person called, person calling, message" format.
  6. Fly a Cessna 182 Step 6.jpg
    At the run-up area, follow the checklist and do your system checks.
  7. Fly a Cessna 182 Step 7.jpg
    Get takeoff clearance from the tower:
  8. Fly a Cessna 182 Step 8.jpg
    Use the same three part format, so this call will sound something like: "North Detroit tower, Cessna 69524, runway 32, charlie (taxiway name), ready for takeoff." Again, read back whatever they tell you.
  9. Fly a Cessna 182 Step 9.jpg
    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.
  10. Fly a Cessna 182 Step 10.jpg
    Gently push the throttle forward to full power, while keeping the plane aligned with the centerline by steering with the rudder peddles all while turning ailerons into the wind then gradually turn ailerons to neutral position as speed picks up.
  11. Fly a Cessna 182 Step 11.jpg
    Get ready to climb out. When the airspeed reaches 55 knots, gently apply back pressure on the yoke, apply right rudder to counter left turning tendency, turning ailerons into wind again as soon as you lift off ground and pitch the plane to 75 knots for climb out. Adjust propeller pitch and retract landing gear when reaching 1000' AGL (above ground level) If applicable

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  • The speed at takeoff will vary depending on the year and type of aircraft. Be familiar with the aircraft you will be flying.
  • Get your pilot's license first. It's required to fly this plane.
  • Tower frequencies and runway information can be found in the Airport/Facility directory.


  • Actually doing this in the US is perfectly legal, as long as you have a licensed pilot in the plane with you.
  • Attempting this without a license IS illegal in the USA and most countries of the world.
  • Attempting this alone without a license is illegal.
  • If you don't really know what you are doing, you could injure or kill yourself and other people.
  • If you don't really know what you are doing, you WILL kill yourself.

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Categories: Cessna Aircraft | Flight Training

Recent edits by: Tryme2, Flickety, Pinkkitty



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