In the early stages, I had to learn how to use the SDK for development, and YouTube videos were a great help, especially those by Gilson from FLXBrasil. In 2021, he started posting detailed SDK lessons on his YouTube channel, which were crucial in resolving doubts and speeding up the learning process, as there was little quality content on this subject in Brazilian channels.

Once I had mastered the SDK, it was time to start modeling. However, my knowledge of 3D Max was outdated. I had learned to use the software in college back in 2006, but after 15 years, recovering that knowledge would take too long. Moreover, I didn’t have the time or budget for software licenses. So, I turned to Blender, a powerful open-source tool ideal for modeling, animation, texturing, and rendering. With a vast community and plenty of learning materials, Blender was the right choice. In no time, I was proficient in using it for modeling.

With the International Airport of Salvador, the initial project included the North Pier and all its lighting towers modeled. During this phase, I made the scenario available for free on flightsim.to with the goal of refining the project until it was ready to be commercialized. The plan was to work on the scenario while awaiting approval for my registration in the Microsoft Marketplace.

An attempt to release the scenario through Geardown Simulations was rejected, as the project was still in its early stages and did not meet the platform's standards. Nonetheless, the free versions were well-received by the community, and I received many donations encouraging further development.

One day, I received a call from Valério, from Geardown Simulations, with an offer to buy the rights to the scenario, even though it was still under development. However, the project wasn’t ready for commercialization, and I wasn’t willing to give up the rights. Creating the scenario had become my therapy, my favorite hobby. It rekindled my passion for modeling, which I had loved working on in 3D Max during college.

Since I didn’t agree to sell the rights, I decided to list the scenario for sale on the Geardown Marketplace as a W.I.P. (Work in Progress). Even though it was incomplete, it was very successful and well-received by the community. Over time, the scenario was also added to the Flightsim.to and Simmarket marketplaces, where it enjoyed similar sales success. After nearly two years of work, in November 2022, I was approved for the Marketplace Partner Program, and now EXABIT’s scenarios will be available on the official Microsoft Flight Simulator Marketplace for both PC and Xbox.

As development of the airport progressed, several new elements were modeled, including the lighting towers, CEE Correios, Azul Cargo, Gol cargo warehouses, the cargo terminal, the federal customs area, the north and south piers connected by the terminal, the control tower, the parking building, bus stops, the fire station, tanks, the treatment plant, the radar tower, the large airbase mansion, the Aero Star, Abaeté Táxi Aéreo, Maravilha, and VEM Táxi Aéreo hangars, the old disused yellow hangar in front of patio 4, the effluent treatment plant, and the LSG Sky Chefs hangar.

With the success of the Salvador scenario, I moved on to creating other important scenarios for the region. I developed the airports of Morro de São Paulo and Barra Grande to simulate the routes flown by Abaeté Aviação between Salvador, Morro de São Paulo, and Barra Grande, in the Maraú Peninsula. I also created the Ecides Fires Aerodrome in São Sebastião do Passé, home of EBAF, the Fires Bahian Aviation School.

With the success of these Microsoft Flight Simulator scenarios, EXABIT SCENARIOS was born.