SWIC Aviators

Meet Keith Mueller, coordinator of the Aviation Flight, Aviation Management and Aircraft Dispatcher programs at Southwestern Illinois College. Keith also conducts flight simulator training for Aviation Pilot Training students at SWIC, and serves as the technical advisor for the SIUC B.S. in Aviation Management program.

Keith was introduced to aviation by his high school band director who also taught an aviation course. Later, Keith completed a private pilot certificate and continued his flight training at then at Belleville Area College, completing an instrument rating, commercial pilot certificate, multi-engine rating and becoming certified as a flight, instrument and multi-engine instructor.

Eventually, he became a pilot instructor at BAC and added the Airframe and Power Plant Technician, Avionics and Industrial Electronics, and Airline Transport Pilot programs.
After spending 37 years in commercial aviation, 20 years in the military reserve and more than 40 years in the SWIC aviation program, he is just trying to “pay it forward” with his work at the college.

His favorite memories of SWIC are becoming friends and working with former students who are now aviation professionals.

Outside of SWIC, Keith enjoys motorcycles and Corvettes. He also serves as the president of the Greater St. Louis Flight Instructor Association and on the Board of Directors for the Greater St. Louis Business Aviation Association.

For more information about aviation, visit swic.edu/aviation.