Canada's CAE Inc on Friday reported a 50% drop in third-quarter profit, as pandemic-battered air travel weighed on demand for the company's full-flight simulators and pilot training.

CAE, which produces flight simulators for planemakers Boeing Co and Airbus, however, expects to see an uptick in training contracts as more people get vaccinated and resume air travel.

The world's largest civil aviation training specialist said its net income attributable to shareholders fell to C$48.8 million ($38.29 million), or 18 Canadian cents per share, in the quarter ended Dec. 31, from C$97.7 million, or 37 Canadian cents per share, a year earlier.

Montreal-based CAE said deliveries of flight simulators fell to 10 units in the third quarter, from 12 units a year earlier.

Revenue fell to C$832.4 million from C$923.5 million in the year-ago period.