Boeing Finds Eroding Market for Large Jets.

By Tom Ramstack, The Washington Times Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News

May 22--Boeing Co. and other large-jet manufacturers are finding that the market that helped them build the world's airlines is eroding.

Instead, carriers are buying more small aircraft to compete on short trips, built by foreign competitors.

Regional jets now make up about 23 percent of the commercial-aircraft fleets, up from 2.6 percent in 1997.

In the next 11 years, regional jets are expected to increase to 35 percent of U.S. airline fleets, according to t