Aviation Sales Company Names Stephen E. Gorman to Its Board of Directors.

Business Editors

MIRAMAR, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 4, 2001

Aviation Sales Company (NYSE:AVS) today announced the appointment of Stephen E. Gorman to its Board of Directors.

Mr. Gorman, age 46, is the President, North America for Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, Inc. (NYSE:KKD), responsible for all store operations in North America, including both company-owned and franchise stores. Prior to joining Krispy Kreme in August 2001, Mr. Gorman spent five years with Northwest Airlines, Inc. (Nasdaq:NWAC), at which he most recently held the position of Executive Vice President of Technical Operations and Flight Operations. In that capacity, he supervised a work force of approximately 18,000 people, with responsibility for all aircraft maintenance operations, pilot operations, operations planning and control, dispatch and flight simulator operations. Prior to joining Northwest Airlines in 1996, Mr. Gorman held a variety of senior executive positions over nine years with Aviall, Inc., a major provider of third party aviation services. Mr. Gorman is also on the Board of Directors of Rohn Industries, Inc. (Nasdaq:ROHN), an infrastructure provider in the telecommunications industry.

Roy T. Rimmer, Jr., Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Aviation Sales Company, commented: "We are excited to have Steve join our Board of Directors. We believe that Steve's extensive experience in the aviation industry will bring invaluable knowledge and guidance to our Company. We also expect that Steve's prior experiences as a senior executive of a major airline will provide us with a unique perspective as we continue our efforts to develop and provide the products and services which satisfy the MR&O requirements of our current and future airline customers."

Mr. Gorman noted: "I am pleased to become a member of the Board of Directors of Aviation Sales Company as the Company is a leader in the airframe heavy maintenance market. I look forward to working with the Board of Directors and management of Aviation Sales, and particularly to working with Gil West, the Company's new Chief Operating Officer, with whom I worked for several years at Northwest."

Aviation Sales Company is a leading independent provider of fully integrated aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul (MR&O) services for major commercial airlines and maintenance and repair facilities. The Company currently operates four MR&O businesses: TIMCO, which, with its five locations, is one of the largest independent providers of heavy aircraft maintenance services in North America; Aerocell Structures, which specializes in the MR&O of airframe components, including flight surfaces; Aircraft Interior Design, which specializes in the refurbishment of aircraft interior components; and TIMCO Engine Center, which refurbishes JT8D engines. The Company also operates TIMCO Engineered Systems, which provides engineering services to our MR&O operations and our customers.

Aviation Sales Company Safe Harbor Statement:

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements. 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 in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2000 and those identified below, could adversely affect the Company's ability to obtain these results: the Company's ability to satisfy the conditions to its previously announced senior subordinated note exchange offer and rights offering, the Company's ability to continue to generate sufficient working capital to meet its operating requirements, the Company maintaining good working relationships with its vendors and customers, the Company's ability to achieve gross margins at which it can be profitable, including margins on services the Company performs on a fixed price basis, competition in the aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul market, the Company's ability to attract and retain qualified personnel in its business, utilization rates for its MR&O facilities, the Company's ability to effectively manage its business, competitive pricing for the Company's products and services, economic factors which affect the airline industry, and changes in government regulations. Certain of these risks are described in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Copies of the Company's SEC filings 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.