MARION TWP, Beaver County — Fifty years ago, before the land just off Route 588 was an airport, planes were taking off and landing.

Through an agreement with the mining company that owned the land, the late Byron Halstead used the property for his aircraft.

A half-century later, the airport has expanded, and the Condor Aero Club, which Halstead founded to teach his employees how to fly, is still hangared there.

A nonprofit corporation, the Condor Aero Club is governed by a nine-member board of directors that works to promote general aviation.

Owning and operating seven aircraft, the group counts doctors, electricians, educators, clergymen, truck drivers and commercial pilots among its 200 members.

Bill Rose, president of the club, says the group makes aviation accessible to a wider range of people.

"It brings affordable flying to a lot of people who couldn't fly otherwise," he said.

With small planes costing upward of $80,000 and hangar fees and insurance costing another $12,000 per year, the club gives members the freedom of flying without the high costs, the Cranberry Township resident said.

To join, members must pay a one-time fee of $500 and $100 in annual dues.

Flying members of the group — about half of its total members — must also pay an annual insurance assessment, which Rose said usually totals about $375 per pilot.

Club members are offered lower rates on plane rentals than through other places, allowing them to fly for business or pleasure on fairly short notice.

That, Rose said, gives members the freedom of trading the open road for the open skies.

The club's planes are capable of flying a 500-mile radius, Rose noted. "It opens up a lot of opportunities,"he said.

He and other pilots will sometimes fly to Niagara Falls, a travel time of about 90 minutes. Other destinations that usually take more than five hours to drive are also within a few hours by plane. Those include Indianapolis; Raleigh, N.C.; and even coastal spots like Atlantic City, N.J.

Today's members owe that freedom to Halstead, who founded the flying club in 1957, said Chuck Caye, a 28-year member of the group and club historian.

According to Caye, Halstead formed the group when employees at his now-defunct copper tube company, Halstead Industries, wanted to learn how to fly.

Ten people paid $100 each to buy the club's first plane, a 1941 Piper J3 Cub.

By the mid-1960s, the club had more than 300 members and bought five new planes.

Because of rising insurance costs, the club decided during that decade to create the flying and nonflying groups, with flying members paying their yearly insurance costs.

In the 1970s, the club began holding its annual picnic and, in the 1980s, purchased new planes.

In 1988, the group also built its hangar at the airport, along with its office in the corner.

In the 20 years since, Caye said the group has streamlined its reservation system — once handled by the airport manager but now done through the group's Web site.

Caye, a Ross Township, Allegheny County resident, said the club has attracted many people because of the lower costs. "Flying isn't cheap, but it's cheaper in the club," he said.

Rose said that is one reason the club has been so successful and able to keep its membership for the past 50 years.

Ron Flinner, the group's chief flight instructor, said many people join because of a need to travel, whether for business or pleasure.

But Flinner, a 25-year member from Prospect, said he joined for a different reason: His father was a bomber pilot during World War II.

"I always had this feeling Iwanted to fly," he said.

One of the group's six flight instructors, Flinner gets to fly four or five times a week, mostly with students and pilots taking refresher courses.

"It's very addictive," he said.

For more information on joining the club, visit www.condoraero.com or call Rose at 724-452-8382.