Thank you AllTrimDoubt for for response dated 20 Jan which I have just read.
I am biased, having benefitted from a University Cadetship in the old days. I struggled to get to my UAS for three years, without a driving licence or funds, and amassed 112 hours, which penalised me to the extent of a 120 hour Jet Provost course instead of the standard 160 hours, after 7 months on the ground.
My UAS time was marvellous, making many lifelong friends, some of whom joined. My RAF time was thoroughly enjoyable and being in the same basic trade I have now over 5000 hours of military instructional hours.
IMHO it would be sad to chop the UAS system. It is also unrealistic to expect students to risk their degree passes by putting extra effort into getting to distant airfields.
JEFTS actually worked very well, as those unbiased enough to visit always confirmed. The product was of a uniform standard with good currency, and future holds were a problem of RAF streaming inefficiency, which was a factor throughout my service career!
The old argument about a degree at Cranwell was lost thirty+ years ago. The time and effort to achieve recognisable academic rigour and acceptance for the degree was not compatible with training then, and I hope still not even in today's dumbing down era.
Sorry about the length of the rant - the subject means a lot to me. Regards to all ex-students of whichever service.