From the new guy on the forum: One idea is to look at the FAA requirements for hiring a new Test Pilot. If a license was established for test pilots, qualifications such as the ones the FAA uses for its own pilots might provide the compromise. Training can either be done in a formal school or on the job with a commercial company. (Below is copied from FAA advertisement)
Flight Experience Requirements: All applicants must meet the following requirements:
Have successfully completed a military test pilot school (United States, France, Britain, or Russia) or a ONE YEAR civilian test pilot school (National Test Pilot School (NTPS), etc.)
OR
Have 1 year or 100 hours of flight test experience as an engineering test pilot conducting performance and flying qualities tests or analyzing aircraft performance data.
NOTE: Acceptable engineering flight test experience must have been for the purpose of establishing the basic airworthiness of prototype aircraft or component parts in the experimental/developmental stage. This experience includes flight testing of an aircraft or component from the time of first developmental flight testing through final FAA certification or military acceptance testing. This experience must include basic stability, controllability, and performance testing to determine compliance with civil, military, or foreign standards. Flight tests will normally have been conducted in experimental category uncertified civilian aircraft or in military aircraft which have not had final acceptance for service use.
THE FOLLOWING EXAMPLES DO NOT MEET ENGINEERING FLIGHT TEST EXPERIENCE
REQUIREMENTS:
- Production quality control testing of certificated aircraft;
- Flight testing of overhauled aircraft or equipment for which the basic airworthiness has already been established;
- Flight testing of airspace navigation ground systems;
- Flight instruction;
- Air carrier operations/general aviation operations; or
- Flights of service test aircraft to provide airborne test time for equipment evaluation.