Why are you trying to degenerate this into a growbags and epulettes thread?
I think that a flying school giving out wings to a student is a very nice touch, it is something tangible that shows that they have worked hard and achieved something that is out of the ordinary. I know places liek NSF at Sibson give out wings every year at the Wings Dinner.
Confab, Pitts, are you so mean hearted as to take that away from them?
2000hrs later I still have the wings I was presented, tucked away on my shelf and still feel proud of them. I wont be pinning them to a grow bag or 10 bar epulettes any time soon but I am proud of them.