▁M aking ▁an ▁aircraft ▁design ▁larger ▁can ▁also ▁improve ▁the ▁overall ▁fuel ▁efficiency ▁and ▁man - h ours ▁for ▁transport ing ▁a ▁given ▁load , ▁while ▁a ▁greater ▁space ▁is ▁available ▁for ▁transport ing ▁light weight ▁cargo es ▁or ▁giving ▁passengers ▁room ▁to ▁move ▁around . ▁However , ▁as ▁aircraft ▁increase ▁in ▁size ▁they ▁pose ▁significant ▁design ▁issues ▁not ▁present ▁in ▁smaller ▁types . ▁These ▁include ▁struct ural ▁efficiency , ▁flight ▁control ▁response ▁and ▁sufficient ▁power ▁in ▁a ▁reliable ▁and ▁cost - effect ive ▁installation . ▁ ▁Lar ge ▁aircraft ▁also ▁require ▁special ised ▁ground ▁facilities , ▁and ▁some ▁countries ▁have ▁special ▁regul atory ▁environments ▁for ▁them . ▁ ▁The ▁giant ▁air ships ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 3 0 s ▁remain , ▁as ▁of ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁the ▁largest ▁aircraft ▁ever ▁constructed , ▁while ▁the ▁Hugh es ▁H - 4 ▁" S pr uce ▁Go ose " ▁of ▁ 1 9 4 7 ▁had ▁the ▁largest ▁wings pan ▁of ▁any ▁fixed - wing ▁type . ▁The ▁Hy brid ▁Air ▁Ve h icles ▁Air land er ▁ 1 0 ▁hy brid ▁air ship ▁is ▁the ▁largest ▁aircraft ▁flying ▁today . ▁ ▁Character istics ▁ ▁Pay load ▁space ▁The ▁lif ting ▁capacity ▁of ▁an ▁aircraft ▁depends ▁on ▁the ▁wing ▁size ▁and ▁its ▁" loading ", ▁the ▁weight ▁per ▁unit ▁area ▁that ▁the ▁wing ▁can ▁support . ▁Lo ading ▁is ▁more ▁or ▁less ▁constant ▁for ▁a ▁given ▁level ▁of ▁technology . ▁Thus , ▁as ▁aircraft ▁size ▁increases ▁the ▁lif ting ▁capacity ▁increases