Virgin Atlantic limit being expressed upon everything associated with starting up operations. Virgin Atlantic became profitable within the first 12 months, aided by sister company Virgin Records' ability to finance the lease of a secondhand Boeing 747. The firm had timed its operations to take advantage of a full summer, from June to September, which was typically the most profitable period of the year. In November 1984 the airline launched a service between Gatwick Airport and Maastricht Aachen Airport in the Netherlands using a chartered BAC One-Eleven. In 1986 the airline added another Boeing 747 to its fleet and started a scheduled
Richmond International Airport One-Eleven and McDonnell Douglas DC-9-30 jets on nonstop flights from Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. The OAG also lists service into Richmond at this time in 1985 operated by four commuter and regional airlines including Air Virginia which was operating a hub at the airport flying Swearingen Metroliner turboprops nonstop from Baltimore, Charlottesville, VA, Lynchburg, VA, New Bern, NC, Newport News, New York LaGuardia Airport, New York Newark Airport, Norfolk, Philadelphia, Raleigh/Durham, Roanoke, VA and Washington D.C. National Airport; Delta Connection operated by Comair with nonstop Saab 340 and Swearingen Metroliner turboprop flights operated on a code sharing basis for Delta from