Ham,
Maybe the RAF guys at OATS have a slightly jaded view having been fast jet streamed, flown the hawk then told "sorry no jobs on fast jets anymore, off to Oxford for ME training"... it would piss me off and no matter how good the training was, I would not be happy with it.
In terms of the instructors I had, well they got me through everything first time under hours. So in my opinion they are good quality. Value for money in my eyes... but as you say that is in the eye of the beholder and I do know some pissed off people, but then I know their history and most of them have only themselves to blame.
BigAir