On Wings of Courage
An endowment fund established by the late
Capt. Craig A. Mueller
While Captain Craig A. Mueller’s grade school classmates were playing cowboys and Indians, he and his sister, Marcia, were playing pilot and stewardess.
“It was always a given that when we grew up, Craig was going to be a pilot,” remembered Marcia. Born in California and raised in Wisconsin, Craig and Marcia made regular pilgrimages to Austin Straubel Airport in Green Bay to watch takeoffs and landings, and admire aircraft in the hangars.
Mueller began his flying lessons at Green Bay Aviation during his first year of college. He worked several jobs to earn enough money for lessons and occasionally skipped classes to go flying.
“He took the ‘scenic route’ to get his private pilot’s license, because he had limited financial resources at the time,” recalled Marcia.
Captain Mueller’s perseverance paid off. After completing his college degree at the University of Wisconsin – Green Bay, he moved to California and landed his first flying job as a charter pilot for Jimsair Aviation in San Diego. His flight path first took him into corporate jets, then the Captain’s seat in DC-9s, B-727s and finally stretch DC-8s flying internationally for Emery Worldwide Airlines.
Mueller’s life tragically changed in January 1998. He had just landed at Dayton, Ohio and was waiting at a crew bus stop on the ramp when a ground vehicle hit him and ended his flying career. He suffered life-threatening traumatic crush injuries and spent months in critical condition in the hospital. When he was finally stable enough to be moved, he was flown by air ambulance to a rehab hospital in his hometown of San Diego. Thereafter, Captain Mueller spent months in the hospital and more than a year in rehabilitation trying to regain his independence.
“Even though Craig realized his dream of becoming a professional pilot, he never lost his passion for flying or his passion for life after the accident,” shared Marcia.
“What he missed most about flying was seeing all the beautiful sunrises and sunsets from 30,000 feet.”
Although he could no longer fly, he found new wings at the helm of his classic racing sailboat Brushfire, designed by world-renowned Olin Stephens. Mueller, who used to crew on America’s Cup sailboats when he wasn’t flying, was able to board his boat and sit at the wheel while his crew trimmed the sails. They were frequently seen racing under full sail, flying down San Diego Bay. Craig’s trophies showcased his sailing prowess, much to Olin’s delight when he visited.
Craig remained active in the aviation community through his affiliations with EAA, ALPA, and the San Diego Air and Space Museum, among others. He was a significant donor who helped bring the USS Midway Aircraft Carrier to its permanent berth in San Diego. He advocated for increased accessibility on Midway’s hangar deck to allow those with disabilities to utilize the flight simulators.
Capt. Mueller passed away of a rare cancer in September 2007 at the age of 63. He left a $10,000 endowment to EAA in support of the Young Eagles Program.
“Craig always said ‘Each moment is a gift. Follow your dreams,” remembered Marcia. “He wanted future pilots to experience the joy he found flying, without the financial constraints he had. Craig always emphasized that a good education and outstanding flight training were the keys to becoming a successful pilot.”
Supporting EAA has been a family affair for the Muellers. Craig and Marcia’s father, EAA Wingman #1286 Arthur E. Mueller, also left multiple in-kind memorabilia donations and an estate gift to EAA as part of his bequest.
“They wanted to perpetuate their passion for aviation,” said Marcia, when speaking of her father’s and brother’s financial commitments to the future of flight.
Arthur was also professionally involved with EAA. Working for Wisconsin Bell Telephone as a sales account manager, he coordinated all the telephone communication needs for the annual AirVentures during the 1960s and 1970s. After he retired, Arthur remained active at AirVenture, selling programs with his Telephone Pioneers group.
Capt. Craig A. Mueller, his father Arthur and the entire Mueller family have demonstrated their unbridled enthusiasm for ‘giving wings’ to the future of flight. Marcia encourages other EAA members to support EAA’s education programs.
“If you have a passion for flying, share it! Make the commitment to help others realize their dreams of flight.”
Capt. Mueller
“Craig always said ‘Each moment is a gift. Follow your dreams,” remembered his sister, Marcia.