Concorde Nose

Those passing through the Country Club District of Kansas City, Missouri, might notice something odd tucked behind one of the stately homes along Ward Parkway: the nose of a Concorde aircraft. This supersonic nose cone is neatly enshrined within a glass enclosure and easily visible from the road. The story of how it got there, and its intended use, are even stranger. 

The iconic Concorde first took to the skies in the 1960s and shepherded passengers across the Atlantic Ocean in record time, ushering in a new era of aviation. In its lifetime, 14 aircraft flew commercially, split evenly between Air France and British Airways. Of the 20 total aircraft built, some were used for research, and one was used for high-altitude metal fatigue testing. 

This special Concorde was later dismantled with some of the parts being sold and ending up at auction. What better way to display your passion for this unique plane than to buy a piece of history and display it at your house? But Farhad Azima, an aviation enthusiast and former airline executive, wanted to take it one step further. 

Azima acquired the Concorde nose section at auction in London in the 1990s with big plans for this extraordinary part that had broken the sound barrier many times. In addition to enshrining and displaying this artifact, his self-professed goal is that it will become his one-of-a-kind burial casket. Azima told Flatland KC, “People come and look at it all the time, they ask me, ‘Why’d you buy this?’ [I say] ‘I want to be buried in it.’” 

On display for all to see, this Concorde nose cone may one day become the world’s first supersonic sarcophagus.