You may want to focus more on surveillance.

Airship Stats and Upgrade Recommendations

Surveillance: Influences the probability of gathering a 2nd item per sector. May also influence the probability of finding new sectors.
Retrieval: Increases item extraction rating (higher quantities of a specific item).
Speed: Influences voyage duration.
Range: Allows you to visit more sectors per voyage.
Favor: ??? (Speculation: Probability of HQ, Influences weather conditions encountered)

Found new sectors in 2 week tops 4/4 airships though get FC to help you out or see if any other FC will trade used parts you can't sell but can trade.