I have a very strong opinion here :
The chap that hand flies a Piper Cub in 15 kts gusty winds, in rain and hail and snow, for 3 hrs deserves the flying suit and the gold bars and all the lot.
The (ahum) Captain that just landed a 747 at whatever International airport deserves neither the flying suit nor the bars. He's not a pilot but a computer programmer that "accidently" (because he "had" to) took the yoke 30 seconds before landing.
Only the "hand-flying chap" knows what flying really is.