A salute to Mirza

"Darius Mirza may be the first Canadian Zoroastrian to become captain of the Royal Air Force (RAF),” writes Gu­loo Austin of London, Ontario. India born Darius had migrated to Canada with his parents, Tehemton and Zeno­bia Mirza, as a toddler of 18 months. His passion for flying was visible early enough when he joined the Air Cadets during his school years in Ontario, winning scholarships and going on to obtain his private pilot license.

Capt Darius Mirza: passion for flying

Joining the Royal Military College, Mirza qualified as a civil engineer before proceeding to train as a pilot with the Canadian Air Force. Recently promoted to the rank of captain, Mirza was awarded his wings in Portage la Prairie in Manitoba on July 20, 2007. Based in Trenton, Ontario, Mirza is said to be one of the few pilots selected to fly the C-17 airplanes, the Canadian Air Force’s latest acquisition of transport aircraft.