So yeah I got thinking - given that the workshop is the place that lets FC's exclusively access some content (read: Diadem Hard - and possibly another underwater themed zone in 4.x) and get special goodies/materials -- and that there's a perennial shortage of housing plots ....

why not separate the airship portion of the workshop from the FC house ?

Like, a separate 'factory' building in a housing ward, like the apartment block -- except the rooms are workshops/hangars and access is instanced/limited by FC tag