Air France Auctions Parts of the Concorde

Fans of supersonic flight claimed pieces of the Concorde from the dustbin of aviation history Saturday, bidding at a charity auction for the trademark needle nose, doors and even instrument panels from Air France’s fleet of five retired jets.

The sale drew an enthusiastic response, with Christie’s auction house installing video links and extra telephone lines to accommodate the crowds, which bid nearly $4 million for the relics.

“Concorde still arouses the same passion,” said Air France President Jean-Cyril Spinetta.

Air France and British Airways. the only carriers to fly the Concorde, announced the retirement of the jets in April, citing ballooning costs and dwindling ticket sales. Air France grounded its supersonic fleet a month later.

After frantic bidding, the distinctive needle nose went to an anonymous French bidder for nearly $500,000 – well above the maximum estimated value of $14,730.

Jean-Francois Berger, a Moroccan businessman who called the grounding of the Concorde “the end of an era,” said he couldn’t resist shelling out $5,300 for two antennas from the 30-year-old aircraft, initially valued at about $82.

“I want to give them to my son, who is two years old,” he said. “I’ll put them somewhere safe and he can appreciate them later on.”

Proceeds from the sale, totaling $3.8 million from 218 lots, went to the Air France Foundation, a charitable organization for children.

A warning panel sold for $1,180, while a bidder paid $153,000 for an engine.

Also sold to the highest bidders: A door, for $33,000, and a speed indicator, at $94,000.

Some people went home disappointed.

“The prices are too high, it’s crazy,” said Jean Le Camus, a retiree from the Riviera town of Cannes who attended the auction with his wife.

“We’ve flown on Concorde and we loved it. It would have been a nice symbol to take home a souvenir from the plane,” he said.