en.Wedoany.com Reported - Catalina Aircraft Company has announced the establishment of an Engineering and Technology Center (ETC) in Vero Beach, Florida, USA, to advance the development of the Catalina SPAR™ amphibious aircraft. This aircraft is a newly designed FAA Part 25 transport-category amphibious aircraft platform, intended for operators working in coastal, island, maritime, and infrastructure-constrained environments worldwide.
The Engineering and Technology Center is positioned as a collaborative, multi-tenant innovation hub rather than a single-purpose engineering office. The center will house Catalina Aircraft Company's own design team while also welcoming other aerospace and hard-tech startups, providing shared heavy-computing resources for digital twin and systems engineering work. Facility features include a scale wind tunnel, a wave tank for hull and hydrodynamic testing, as well as 3D printing and materials laboratories. Concentrating these capabilities in one location shortens the development cycle for the Catalina SPAR's aerodynamic, structural, and hull design, while enabling external tenants to access testing and prototyping infrastructure that would be costly to build independently.
In terms of cost structure, the company views the center as long-term value-adding project infrastructure rather than fixed engineering overhead. Fees paid by external tenants for space and testing capabilities offset shared facility and equipment expenditures, while the design, prototyping, and certification support work conducted on-site will directly advance the Catalina SPAR program and its FAA Part 25 certification timeline.
"The Engineering and Technology Center provides us with the infrastructure to design, build, and test the Catalina SPAR locally in Vero Beach, while also helping to foster a broader aerospace ecosystem in the region," said Bennett Biever, Vice President of Business Development at Catalina Aircraft Company.
The Catalina SPAR™ is designed as a multi-mission system rather than a single-purpose aircraft. The platform configured for aerial firefighting can be redeployed for transport, patrol, humanitarian support, or search and rescue missions during the non-fire season, reducing the need for multiple specialized fleets. This design approach serves the company's business model targeting civilian, commercial, and government operators worldwide.
The Vero Beach area has a historical aviation background, having served as a U.S. Naval Air Station during World War II and later evolving into a center for aircraft manufacturing and development. By establishing the Engineering and Technology Center in this region, Catalina Aircraft Company continues the operational legacy of its predecessor aircraft, the Catalina PBY seaplane, and positions the Treasure Coast as a regional hub for aerospace engineering, testing, and industrial development. The company is currently engaging with partners, operators, industry leaders, and government stakeholders to advance the continued development of the Catalina SPAR platform.
