Boeing 737 MAX Issues Spur GOL Scraps and FAA Self-Certification Return

Brazilian carrier GOL returned two nearly new Boeing 737 MAX 8 jets after just a few months of operation. Both aircraft, delivered in late 2025 and withdrawn in February 2026, were sent to Pinal Airpark in Arizona for dismantling because of chronic factory problems, LEAP‑1B engine difficulties and centre‑of‑gravity concerns. A parts firm later acquired the airframes for teardown, describing them as the first 737 MAXs entered into the parts‑out market.

In the United States, the Federal Aviation Administration announced that Boeing will be permitted to resume self‑certifying its 737 MAX and 787 aircraft. The FAA had taken direct oversight after the 2019 MAX crashes and reinstated limits on Boeing’s production following 2022 quality issues. While Boeing regains the right to certify its planes, the agency will keep inspectors on site and focus on early‑stage defect detection, with production caps gradually increased from 38 to 47 aircraft per month.