IMHO the method you are describing would be how a MAP sensor works in a speed density system. I believe either way is probably irrelevant to his problem IMHO. Usually a problem that occurs the first time heavy throttle is used is the result of a manufacture issue. Something not in place, something extra in the system or one time I even found a plastic bag in front of the air filter that was left in at the plant.
This is a wild guess but I have a little experience with this. My guess would be it had a MAF code and the air filter message. Codes can be good and bad, many techs rely to much on the code and jump to what I call bottom line diagnosis on a valley forge schematic. They open the tree chart and jump to the bottom of the page and skip all the steps in between. That is my guess why the MAF was replaced. Seeing a bad new component on a brand new unit is rare. Seeing two problems in one system on a brand new unit is unheard of. The odds are STAR will tell him to reinstall the original MAF and follow the tree chart but having seen just about anything you can imagine especially out of the Mexico plant I'm going to bet it is an assembly line issue and not an actual defetive component.