A possible "endgame situation" here is to build 4x Tatanora Airships. These represent the parts with the highest stat values and iLvl. This would yield a fleet of 4x 120/120/120/120/120 ships. This would be the "Stat Average with highest level" concept.

However, some stats may be favored over others, and 120 is not the highest you can get a stat... We may decide to maximize a given stat. In that case, here is the bar-none best ship per-stat (and how they suffer in the other stats as a result). There are three "max" ship types (The forecastle only gives positive stats so there's no reason to demote it in a design unless you want your ship to be bad)

Obviously, Bronco components represent the lowest stats to give as a positive or negative to anything, and so one could "temper" the detrimental effects of this min/max scheme by putting any mid-range airship part into the mix instead of the Bronco - you'll just get a more homogenized stat result, and a slightly higher "ilvl" ship. Perhaps if it becomes discovered that certain stat values are necessary to get certain item yields or observation results, a ship could be tailored to achieve those numbers while not being "quite as terrible" at its associated negative stat.
Tatanora parts give 150 and take away 30.Bronco parts give 80 and take away 10.

The key is swapping out a part for a bronco, letting the 150 from the tatanora only come down by -10 from the bronco.
Here are the ships, their stats, and the aggregate math involve from the parts:

Surveillance/Speed Ship
Hull: Tatanora
Rigging: Tatanora
Forecastle: Tatanora
Aftcastle: Bronco

This ship has the highest possible value for both Surveillance and Speed. Great for travelling fast and getting multiple item nodes. It suffers hard in item Retrieval though. Maybe this would be a "fast xp" build, as opposed to a gathering build?
Surveillance: 140 (150-10)
Retrieval: 50 (80-30)
Speed: 140 (150-10)
Range: 120 (150-30)
Favor: 120 (150-30)

Retrieval/Range Ship
Hull: Tatanora
Rigging: Bronco
Forecastle: Tatanora
Aftcastle: Tatanora

This ship has the highest possible value for Retrieval and Range. It picks up the (most? HQest? best?) items and goes to the furthest places. It suffers hard in Speed though so it'll take longer to get done with the voyage.
Surveillance: 120 (150-30)
Retrieval: 140 (150-10)
Speed: 50 (80-30)
Range: 140 (150-10)
Favor: 120 (150-30)

Favor Ship
Hull: Bronco
Rigging: Tatanora
Forecastle: Tatanora
Aftcastle: Tatanora

This ship has the highest Favor (whatever that is?) - it suffers hard in Range so whatever Favor does, I hope it doesn't need to go far to do it.
Surveillance: 120 (150-30)
Retrieval: 120 (150-30)
Speed: 120 (150-30)
Range: 50 (80-30)
Favor: 140 (150-10)