Jacko,
"All of the F-22 operators I've spoken too are extremely enthusiastic about the aircraft's potential and promise as a weapons system, but not one of them has offered any praise of the aircraft as it is today as a flying machine"
None of those you spoke with praised it (as is is today) as a flying machine? That, to understate it, surprises me.
Mind you, I don't know what your exact definition of 'as a flying machine' is - do you mean in a pure 'poling' sense (BFM, Hi AoA, handling etc)?
All the best :-)
MT