If your unpleasant "dross" accusation were true, Tourist, clearly the (RAF) checking procedure is at fault. There weren't separate assessment procedures for ex-mil and non ex-mil instructors.
As for the rest, almost everything you said could have applied to my 1984 BFTS course, except that was preceded by six months holding due to shortage of ...well nobody bothered even to ask, Her Majesty was paying. Happy days!