PeterH: What a pity that a little of the MAX down-time wasn't spent testing/demonstrating the truth of that position. (Acceptable bare airframe aerodynamics.)
OldnGrounded: Do we know that hasn't happened? We do know that JATR (and EASA?) have said that testing should be done.
I was meaning that if B believed that the MAX had acceptable (or near acceptable) bare airframe aerodynamics they would have be wise to put
convincing evidence into the public domain soon after the grounding. (I expect that the certifying authorities are forcing B to make some tests,
and that B is keeping both the existence and results of these tests as confidential as they can.)
However I'm certain that SLF3 has it right:
The more you read this [TCCA] email the cleverer it is:
[Among other things] He is effectively challenging Boeing to prove assertions the aerodynamic characteristics are benign