Perhaps, in the interests of financial belt tightening you might ask the `engineers`/bean counters to leave off bits,or leave on bits that are past their `sell-by` date.In whose financial interest is it ,not to do an airtest ? Is the `Company` generating that ,or is it the client ? Who is the client ? Maybe the company want to short-change the client, by missing out parts of the airtest--- why bother, just wheel it out of the door,guarantee runs out at `brakes-off`..
Older aircraft/engines/systems are not the same on modern jets ,with Fadec/ums/ downloadable diagnostics,and where they are not subjected to unusual operating conditions.Nowadays, most engines are podded, and replaced as such, and usually run one `cycle` per flight, left at constant power,and in non-hostile environments( ie over the sea at low levels, dusty ,etc) so there is perhaps not the need to do extensive engine airtests.
Then there is always the possibility that there may be an in-flight shut-down
,for operational reasons,and therefore a need to restart in flight. Relights on the ground are not the same as relights in flight !!
The bottom line should be that the `engineers`/bean-counters /company should understand that if an a/c is taken apart and put back together, even with all the same bits, it is a new a/c...
Ask for volunteers from the appropriate departments to go along on the next airtest...I guarantee you won`t have many takers.....Remember, it won`t be their necks on the line if anything should happen when it`s returned to the client....it could be yours..........From your initial query i take it you are not ex-mil, perhaps even your boss ? Who do you work for ? you may even be `the financial reason` ie if we don`t do a full airtest then we don`t need that many pilots.. more money saving ideas !!!! go carefully.. pm if you can..