I'd compare this to starting your own business. The initial monetary investment will be a lot less than real-world business, but the amount of work, commitment, and time is no different. You'll need to plan it out carefully, develop a marketing strategy, etc or it probably won't last long.
An idea is to start a private charter (or something unique) as the "little brother" of a developed virtual airline, and then consider going independent later on when you're established.
Goodluck though!