Yes, to flight testing after major airframe changes, the amount of time or location, we will not know until we are privy to all the details in the program letter. No, to flight testing over an uninhabited area. Numerous references in Experimental-Exhibition/Racing, including multiple flight test phases, the text:
and in areas that, in
in-flight structural
not endangered. "Densely populated" and "Congested" are constantly reoccurring words in multiple sections and sub-paragraphs. Another defining phrase in the General Experimental Flight Test section when defining flight corridors to and from the airport and the flight test area:
It also states, if, those conditions cannot be met the aircraft must be moved to the flight test area by other means than flight the densely populated areas. [ie. by truck,(my interpretation)]
After flight testing, the governing FSDO office could also disallow any requests for flights or flight areas the FSDO is not comfortable with when requests for program letter changes are made.
The section on Experimental-Exhibition/Racing certification was re-written effective about 18 months ago to tighten up the rules and I suspect we will see another re-write in the very near future.