Not true. Absolutely not true. Pilots (in the Navy, at least) are what we call "unrestricted line" officers. That is to say that they can assume combatant command roles. Supply, medical, JAG, chaplains, etc. are called "restricted line" and they can't. It might surprise you to know that senior Navy pilots command not just squadrons, but also aircraft carriers. They can and do become commodores and admirals and assume command of surface action groups, expeditionary strike groups and carrier strike groups. Not all of them, mind you. They have to screen for XO and CO just like I will in the all-too-near future.

Whether or not they should another matter. I belong to the surface warfare community, which, like submarine warfare, is another subdivision of the unrestricted line. My career path is aimed towards command of a warship at sea, most likely a cruiser or destroyer. I have always found pilots to be somewhat lacking in the subtle nuances of seamanship when they drive ships, but without training and experience, I imagine I'd make just as poor a showing in the cockpit of a Hornet, so I try not to judge.

Anyway, I agree that McCain's wartime experiences do not qualify him to be President of the United States (and I personally have no intention of voting for him), but I had to correct your factual errors. With regard to the ability of Navy pilots to assume major command roles, you're 180 degrees off. As officers go, there is absolutely no difference between a pilot and a surface warfare officer with the exception of the machinery they operate more frequently. If my next ship is a CVN, my CO will be an aviator.