By Edward James/Singapore

SINGAPORE (February 23, 2000) - FAIRCHILD Aerospace predicts a market of 8,000 jets below 100 seats by 2020, and the company hopes to be delivering 175 jets a year by 2008 to help meet that demand.

Last year 534 regional jets were sold and only 25 turboprops - an emphatic endorsement that turboprops are finished, says executive vice president Barry Eccleston.

The company expects to build four 328JETs a month, along with four of the stretched 428JETs assembled in Israel by 2008.

Production rate of the larger 728JET is set for eight a month, with certification in November 2002.

The company plans to fly its first 70-85 seat 728JET next year and the 95-105 seat 928JET will follow into airline service in 2004.

Eccleston said Fairchild was mulling an even larger version up to 120 seats, but this takes the company into direct competition with Boeing and Airbus.

Another option is a smaller 528JET below the 728JET. Eccleston believes the regional market is big enough to support three jet manufacturers but that the regional turboprop manufacturers faced a bleak future.