Aviation Sales Company Announces TIMCO Expansion.

MIAMI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 12, 1999--Aviation Sales Company (NYSE:AVS) announced today that it has reached agreement to lease 250,000 square feet of hanger space at the Smith Reynolds Airport located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

The hangars are capable of accommodating up to six narrow-body airplanes simultaneously. The facility also includes a landing gear overhaul center and other back shop operations. The facility is expected to employ 200 to 300 mechanics initially, with that number expected to grow to 700 over the next several years.

Dale S. Baker, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, commented: "The lease of the Winston-Salem facility will allow us to immediately continue our growth in airframe and component overhaul. The Winston-Salem facility is a highly desirable location due to the high quality of the available work force and the close proximity to our existing TIMCO facility located in Greensboro, North Carolina. Aviation Sales is focused on being the premier Total Inventory Management-TIM and Total Aircraft Maintenance-TAM Company worldwide and this is another important step in that quest."

Aviation Sales Company is a leading independent provider of fully integrated aviation inventory and maintenance services, including aircraft heavy maintenance, component repair and overhaul, leasing, the distribution of aircraft spare parts and the manufacture of new components for major commercial airlines, original equipment manufacturers and maintenance and repair facilities throughout the world.

Except for historical information contained herein, this release contains certain forward-looking statements that are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which may cause the Company's actual results in future periods to differ materially from forecasted results. A number of factors, including those identified below, could adversely affect the Company's ability to obtain these results: the Company's ability to acquire adequate inventory and to obtain favorable pricing for such inventory, competitive pricing for the Company's products and services, increased competition in the aircraft spare parts redistribution and MRO markets, the ability to consummate suitable acquisitions, the continuing ability to effectively integrate acquisitions, economic factors which affect the airline industry, and changes in government regulations. Certain of these risks are described in the Company's 10-K filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Copies of the Company's 10-K and 10-Q are available from the SEC or may be obtained upon request from the Company. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update the information contained herein, which speaks only as of this date.