A neighbour is an ex-R.N. Admiral who happily gave up flying so as to get command of a ship, which says a lot.
what it actually says is Double 0 doesn't understand the way the RN used to work.
The Navy's primary business is, hardly surprisingly, driving ships... a task given to the Executive Branch, and flying was a sub-specilisation of that branch. The RN Officer corps was streamed into the General List and the Supplimentary List. Thus a Junior Pilot could be either GL(X)(P) or SL(X)(P).
To rise above the rank of Commander you had to be GL... and this is the important bit... it was expected you would have had command of a small ship (typically a frigate or destroyer).
Most aircrew were recruited onto the SL, it got them through the training pipeline quickly as they started flying training on graduation from Dartmouth. Therefore an SL(X)(P) with career aspirations would a. have to request transfer to GL, and b. go off to complete his Bridge Watchkeeping ticket and gain seamanship experience.
Some GLs were allowed to fly but would only do 2-3 tours before returning to ship-driving for the sake of their careers (If they chose to keep flying they too would be unlikely to rise above Cdr.)
So, Double 0, your neighbour obviously had aspirations, and as he made Admiral that was obviously a good decision? As far as I know things are slightly different today; everyone leaves Dartmouth on a level playing field and those who show potential for high rank, from any specialisation, are groomed after the first few years service; and their career managed appropriately.
It is still, generally, the case that to rise high you need to acquire broad experience... what use a Captain of an Aircraft Carrier who can land a GR7 on the pitching flight deck, but can't put the ship alongside the wall in Guz (aka Plymouth)?