Three aviators with ties to South Carolina were inducted in the South Carolina Aviation Hall of Fame Feb. 13, 2025: Chris Holder, Thomas E. “Stoney” Truett, III, and Paul Werts.
The Class of 2025
Chris Holder
Chris Holder grew up in South Carolina’s Pickens County with a strong aviation heritage, learning to fly as a teenager in a family of aviators. He began flight training at 15, soloing after just four hours of dual instruction. After serving six years in the U.S. Marine Corps as an Avionics Weapons Technician for Cobra helicopters and earning his private pilot certificate, Chris transitioned to a civilian aviation career.
In 2011, Chris joined Concorde Battery Corporation, managing the Eastern U.S. region and becoming an advocate for aviation safety and education. In 1998, he founded the South Carolina AI Seminar to provide annual recurrent training for aviation technicians. Under his leadership, the seminar has issued more than 5,000 completion certificates and established an annual scholarship for South Carolina A&P students.
When the pandemic disrupted in-person events, Chris launched a virtual version of the seminar.
Known for his commitment to education, Chris continues to provide training opportunities free of charge.
Thomas E. “Stoney” Truett, III
Thomas E. “Stoney” Truett, III, born in Hartsville, began flight training in 1970, soloing at just 16. After an eight-year hiatus, he returned to aviation, completing his IFR and commercial training in 1980 with South Carolina Aviation Association (SCAA) Hall of Fame inductees Sylvia Roth and Francis Miller. He then began a long career as a flight instructor in Pelion and Winnsboro.
In addition to flight training, Stoney’s career has been marked by corporate flying, including piloting aircraft such as King Airs, Citations, and Sabreliner 65s. He has flown more than 154 aircraft models from 45 manufacturers, including tailwheel planes, gliders, and vintage classics.
An advocate for South Carolina aviation history and safety, Stoney has dedicated his life to training pilots and sharing his knowledge. Since the mid-1980s, he has been a key figure in the South Carolina Breakfast Club, becoming its president in 2021.
Stoney is renowned for his commitment to the aviation community, having visited nearly every airport in the state of South Carolina and logging more than 13,000 flight hours.
Paul Werts
Paul Werts began his aviation career in South Carolina in 1979 as an airport safety inspector for the South Carolina Aeronautics Commission (SCAC).
He played a key role in organizing the second South Carolina Airports Conference and managed its finances and marketing until 1994.
Paul was involved in several major projects, including managing the first air service study for South Carolina in 1981, overseeing the reconstruction of Owens Field (now Jim Hamilton-LB Owens Airport) runway, and assisting in the creation of the first in-house airport system plan for the state. He led the first statewide airport mapping project in 1986 and promoted the development of an electronic airport data program, SC-CAIRS, which won national recognition in 2001.
Paul held various leadership roles within SCAC, including managing grants and construction projects. He oversaw the development of the first airport economic impact study, which valued the state’s airports at $1 billion, and later a $3 billion industry study in 2003. He played a critical role in facilitating economic development projects, such as the $16 million runway extension at Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport and the conversion of Myrtle Beach Air Force Base into a public-use airport.
In 2006, Paul was appointed Executive Director of SCAC, where he successfully moved SCAC from the Department of Commerce to an independent state agency with regulatory powers, despite budget cuts due to the global recession.
Under his leadership, SCAC introduced an aerospace education program and a variety of innovative tools, including an airport land use tool recognized by the National Association of State Aviation Officials in 2013.
Paul also played a significant role in aviation legislation, including efforts to remove the state sales tax on aircraft parts and create an aerospace conference. After retiring in 2018, he was awarded the Order of the Palmetto for his public service.
The South Carolina Aviation Hall of Fame is on display at Jim Hamilton-LB Owens Airport (KCUB) in Columbia.
For more information: SCAAOnline.com
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