CAE to Sell Flightscape Airline Operations Software Unit to SITA for US$500 Million

CAE Inc. announced on October 26, 2026 that it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell Flightscape, its airline operations software business, to SITA, a global aviation technology company. The price is an enterprise value of US$500 million, subject to customary adjustments.

The transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2027, following receipt of regulatory approvals and satisfaction of the remaining closing conditions. Flightscape will continue operating as usual until closing, with continuity in service, support and product development for customers. Flightscape serves airlines and airports around the world.

CAE President and Chief Executive Officer Matthew Bromberg said the sale is consistent with the company's transformation plan and will sharpen CAE's focus on its core Civil and Defense businesses. SITA Chief Executive Officer David Lavorel said combining Flightscape with SITA's capabilities would strengthen the company's offering to airlines and help customers anticipate disruption, recover more effectively and run more resilient operations.

CAE intends to deploy the proceeds in line with its capital allocation priorities, including investing in its core simulation and training businesses and returning capital to shareholders, while maintaining financial flexibility. CAE has engaged BMO Capital Markets and Citigroup Global Markets as financial advisors and Norton Rose Fulbright as legal advisor.

Carve-outs of this kind reflect a familiar pattern in aerospace: large suppliers built around hardware-intensive businesses, here simulation and training, periodically shed software units that run on different economics and customer relationships. Airline operations software sells to airline operations control centres and airport teams, while simulators and training are bought by airlines, defence ministries and training organisations. Moving the software unit to SITA places it with a buyer whose own customer base is airlines and airports.

For the buyer, the logic stated by Lavorel is product-led: adding Flightscape's capabilities to SITA's offering so that airlines can anticipate disruption and recover from it. Disruption management is where operations software earns its keep, so consolidating tools under one vendor can simplify procurement for carriers that already buy from SITA. Whether customers see a changed product roadmap is something that only becomes visible after closing.

For CAE, the sale converts a non-core asset into cash that the company says will go to its simulation and training businesses and to shareholder returns. The next milestones are the regulatory approvals and the remaining closing conditions, with completion targeted for the first half of 2027.