They didn't start with passenger service though. Say, you start with an 767F (leaving you 4.1M). With 14 flights and 200% prices you'll generate arround 6.9M/week of revenue. After leasing, fuel, salaries, etc... you'll be left with 5.9M of profit, allowing you to get another 767F on the spot (your 4.1M from the start stay cosy in the bank account). Doubled fleet = doubled revenues. Your fleet and revenues will grown exponentially until there are no more routes to fly on.
Your fleet size:
Week 0: 1 767F (SD=5.9M)
Week 1: 2 767F (SD=11.8M)
Week 2: 4 767F (SD=23.6M)
Week 3: 8 767F (SD=47.2M)
Week 4: 16 767F (SD=94.4M)
Week 5: 32 767F (SD=188.8M)
Week 6: 64 767F (SD=377.6M)
Week 7: 128 767F (SD=755.2M)
To get to around 460M AS$ of SD within 7 weeks doesn't seem totally irrational to me.
This is a likely calculation. Plus they also got something like 777F and 748F. Consider that these planes have a lower capital cost per capacity unit, these should be able to generate even more profit than B767.
787 was not exactly a good example, but I just don't want it to be too obvious. :P indeed cargo business with 767 make more money faster, and from my observation it's not about which one is the most profitable aircraft, but the aircraft that gives bigger return on investment. while 777 or 747 makes more profit, they turn around a bit longer, thus lowering the weekly flights and you might need more time to accumulate the money you need to buy the next aircraft of the same type. disclaimer on as I'm still experimenting on this, but 767 imo gives you better return on investment.
While i can understand the fun of having 500 aircrafts at your disposal, I could not understand the point of having several holding for doing only stock transactions and no meaningful airline operation.
500 is not even that much. I dont really get how it is for so many people fun to use old or ecotic airplanes. In reality to see them nice but its basicly just text and numbers you dont even see them fly.
The nice thing when u grow fast is that you can better create your flightplan because on most airports the slots you need are available. Thats also the reason why it is so hard to start on a existing gameworld.