XR
Exactly. Most of the USAF's B-52s are older than the Navy's oldest carrier (Enterprise) and will fly beyond 2020. There are first-line F-16s that were delivered in the late 70s/early 80s and will carry on beyond 2015, having outlasted most contemporary cruisers and destroyers.
A ship logs lots of hours - it has to, as it's not much use unless it's close to the scene of wherever action might break out - in a corrosive environment. However, the big deal is that it is not adapted as easily as an aircraft, which can take on a new mission by adding a new whizzbang or pod and has electronic bits that can be easily changed by unscrewing a new panel.
Related question (Mr Boffin): What happens when you replace almost all the aircraft on a carrier with aircraft that weigh twice as much? Ship stability is a bit of a mystery to me.