Catalina Aircraft Company announced Aug. 6 that it plans to establish an Engineering and Technology Center in Vero Beach, Florida, to support development of its Catalina SPAR amphibious aircraft. The company says the facility will house its aircraft design team while also providing engineering and testing resources to other aerospace and technology companies.
Shared Test Infrastructure
Plans for the center include a scale wind tunnel, a wave tank for hull and hydrodynamic testing, 3D printing and materials labs, and computing resources for digital-twin and systems-engineering work. Catalina intends to operate the center as a multi-tenant facility, allowing outside companies to lease space and use testing equipment while the SPAR program conducts design, prototyping and certification-support work at the site.
“The Engineering and Technology Center gives us the infrastructure to design, build, and test the Catalina SPAR right here in Vero Beach, while helping build out this region’s broader aerospace ecosystem,” Bennett Biever, vice president of business development at Catalina Aircraft Company, said.
Part 25 Amphibian Program
The SPAR is a clean-sheet amphibious aircraft under development for FAA Part 25 transport-category certification. Catalina is designing the aircraft for several possible configurations, including passenger and cargo transport, aerial firefighting, maritime patrol, search and rescue, and humanitarian operations. The company says the aircraft is intended to operate from both land and water.
Catalina Aircraft Company is based in Vero Beach and began operations there earlier this year. The company takes its name from the PBY Catalina flying boat, which served in patrol, transport and search-and-rescue roles during World War II and remained in civilian service after the war. Catalina says work performed at the new engineering center will support the SPAR’s development and certification program, although the Aug. 6 announcement did not provide an opening date for the facility.
