Engines · piston (reciprocating) · data as of October 7, 2026

Continental C85 series

4,671 aircraft on the U.S. register carry a Continental C85 series engine, rated at about 85 horsepower. The Cessna 140 is the model most often fitted with it (1,253 aircraft). The aircraft carrying it were built between 1940 and 2023.

The FAA records engines by code, usually at the level of a series ("O-320 series") rather than the exact variant; this page gathers every FAA code that reads as Continental C85 series. FAA spelling: C85 SERIES.

Fitted to model families

Model families, as a table

	aircraft
Cessna 140	1,253
Cessna 120	602
Piper J-3 Cub	519
Aeronca 7 Champion (Champ)	360
Luscombe 8 Silvaire	321
Ercoupe 415	267
Aeronca 11 Chief	136
Engineering & Research ERCOUPE 415	111
Piper PA-11 Cub Special	68
Engineering & Research 415	68
Taylorcraft BC12 BC-12D	60
Commonwealth 185	57

Cessna 140 · Cessna 120 · Piper J-3 Cub · Aeronca 7 Champion (Champ) · Luscombe 8 Silvaire · Ercoupe 415 · Aeronca 11 Chief · Engineering & Research ERCOUPE 415 · Piper PA-11 Cub Special · Engineering & Research 415

Where they are owner's state

Texas401California397Florida267Washington191Alaska185Wisconsin167Minnesota162Ohio152Michigan149Illinois139

By state, as a table

	aircraft
Texas	401
California	397
Florida	267
Washington	191
Alaska	185
Wisconsin	167
Minnesota	162
Ohio	152
Michigan	149
Illinois	139

Kind of aircraft

Piston singles4,669 (100%)Piston twins1 (0.0%)Helicopters1 (0.0%)

By kind, as a table

	aircraft	share
Piston singles	4,669	100%
Piston twins	1	0.0%
Helicopters	1	0.0%

When the aircraft were built by decade

By decade built, as a table

	aircraft
1930	37
1940	3,453
1950	83
1960	43
1970	65
1980	46
1990	36
2000	22
2010	7
2020	2

What the FAA has certified, ordered and been told about the Continental C85 series the component layer

The design is held under 1 type certificate (E-233, held by Continental Aerospace Technologies, INC.). The FAA has issued 7 airworthiness directives (orders that owners must comply with) that name this engine series. Operators and repair shops have filed 12 failure reports with the FAA since 1995, 4 of them in the last ten years.

FAA orders 7 airworthiness directives · newest first

1998-10-1998-17-11 · Crankshafts · engine

1996-02-1394-05-05 R1 · Cylinder Rocker · engine

1995-11-2895-21-15 · Aviation Gasoline · engine

1993-12-1493-22-05 · Carburetor Air Intake Housing Assemblies · engine

1981-04-0181-07-06 · AC Fuel Pumps · engine

47-40-02 · Piston Pins · engine

All orders naming the Continental C85 series

Failure reports 12 since · what operators and shops told the FAA

Failure reports by year, as a table

	reports
95	1
01	1
02	1
03	1
05	1
07	2
08	1
13	2
22	2

Parts most often reported as the reports name them

Spar2Throttle Cable2Bearing1Control Unit1Downlock Switch1Elt1Exhaust Valve1Guide1Propeller1Rib1

Parts most reported, as a table

	reports
Spar	2
Throttle Cable	2
Bearing	1
Control Unit	1
Downlock Switch	1
Elt	1
Exhaust Valve	1
Guide	1
Propeller	1
Rib	1

Latest reports

2022-11-23Exhaust Valve: stuck

2022-01-07Propeller: broken

2013-09-05Throttle Cable: broken

2013-05-02Throttle Cable: broken

2008-02-29Rib: corroded

Certificates and bulletins

E-233Type certificate held by Continental Aerospace Technologies, INC. · 31 models listed · revised September 19, 2022

Safety bulletins 6 · advice, not orders

2018-09-10NE-18-27 · POWERPLANT Rocker Shaft Boss Inspection

2016-03-08NE-16-13 · Powerplant - Prohibited use of sealant

2012-10-31NE-13-04 · Continental Motors, Inc. (CMI) Connecting Rod Piston Pin Bushing Inspection

1998-06-10CE-98-21R1 ·

1997-12-31ACE-98-21 ·

Sources: the FAA's type certificate data sheets, airworthiness directives, supplemental type certificates, special conditions and special airworthiness information bulletins (Dynamic Regulatory System), and the FAA's service difficulty reports. A failure report is what an operator or repair station chose to file; the counts show reporting as much as reliability, and larger and commercial fleets report more. How the systems are grouped.

Connections how this engine series links to the rest of the register

Fitted to

Cessna 140 1,253 with this engine series
Cessna 120 602 with this engine series
Piper J-3 Cub 519 with this engine series
Aeronca 7 Champion (Champ) 360 with this engine series
Luscombe 8 Silvaire 321 with this engine series
Ercoupe 415 267 with this engine series
Aeronca 11 Chief 136 with this engine series
Engineering & Research ERCOUPE 415 111 with this engine series

Where they are

Texas 401 of these aircraft
California 397 of these aircraft
Florida 267 of these aircraft
Washington 191 of these aircraft
Alaska 185 of these aircraft

Biggest operators

Plane Fun INC Tr Trustee 10 of these aircraft
Southern Aircraft Consultancy INC Trustee 8 of these aircraft
Western Antique Aeroplane & Automobile Museum 5 of these aircraft
Eaa Aviation Foundation INC 5 of these aircraft
Riggin Flight Service INC 4 of these aircraft

Airworthiness

FAA orders naming the Continental C85 series 7 airworthiness directives
Failure reports on the Continental C85 series 12 reports since 1995

Analytics

These connections as data: /graph/engine/continental-c85-series.json · about the eFlight graph.

Aircraft newest certificates first · 4,671

Tail no.	Maker and model	Group	Owner and base	Certificate	Registered	Status
N2244H	Engineering & Research ERCOUPE 415-C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner South Carolina	Standard	2007-02-21	Valid
N3100H	Ercoupe 415-C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner South Carolina	Standard	2007-02-21	Valid
N93536	Engineering & Research 415-D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner South Carolina	Standard	2007-02-21	Valid
N99913	Engineering & Research ERCOUPE 415-C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner South Carolina	Standard	2007-02-21	Valid
N72564	Cessna 120	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Standard	2007-02-13	Valid
N89746	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Connecticut	Standard	2007-02-12	Valid
N89654	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Classic Aeroplane CO LLC Tucson, Arizona	Standard	2007-02-09	Valid
N94316	Ercoupe 415-C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Illinois	Standard	2007-01-31	Valid
N33717	Aeronca 65-CA	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner North Carolina	Standard	2007-01-29	Valid
N70414	Piper J3C-65	Fixed-wing, single engine	Thomas Charles Jackson, Michigan	Standard	2007-01-29	Valid
N77253	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Wisconsin	Standard	2007-01-24	Valid
N4079N	Cessna 120	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner California	Standard	2007-01-09	Valid
N37818	Culver LCA	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Missouri	Standard	2007-01-04	Valid
N2944K	Luscombe 8A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Georgia	Standard	2006-12-14	Valid
N38619	Piper J3C-65	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Standard	2006-12-11	Valid
N2502B	Aeronca 7BCM	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alaska	Standard	2006-11-28	Valid
N73801	Commonwealth 185	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Michigan	Standard	2006-11-02	Valid
N89303	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Michigan	Standard	2006-10-31	Valid
N2370V	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	2006-10-30	Valid
N76203	Cessna 120	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Michigan	Standard	2006-10-25	Valid
N41175	Piper J3C-85	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner North Dakota	Restricted	2006-10-24	Valid
N49251	Schriebmaier CASSUTT-111M	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Pennsylvania	Experimental	2006-10-24	Valid
N1877V	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Oregon	Standard	2006-10-18	Valid
N89572	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Standard	2006-10-17	Valid
N6458H	Piper J3C-65	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Standard	2006-10-12	Valid
N76989	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	2006-10-11	Valid
N96691	Taylorcraft BC12-D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Blackstone Rotorcraft INC Hartselle, Alabama	Restricted	2006-10-10	Valid
N86381	Aeronca 11BC-CONV	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Standard	2006-10-04	Valid
N3878H	Ercoupe 415-D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner South Carolina	Standard	2006-10-03	Valid
N3437H	Ercoupe 415-C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	2006-10-02	Valid
N1989N	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Aeschliman Arlie W Tribune, Kansas	Standard	2006-09-29	Valid
N99935	Ercoupe 415-D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Michigan	Standard	2006-09-25	Valid
N86307	Aeronca 11BC	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Wyoming	Standard	2006-09-20	Valid
N500F	Bowers FLY-BABY 1A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Museum of Flight Foundation Seattle, Washington	Experimental	2006-09-18	Valid
N87374	Ercoupe 415-C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner South Carolina	Standard	2006-09-14	Valid
N6667H	Piper J3C-65	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Ohio	Standard	2006-09-13	Valid
N72189	Cessna 120	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Washington	Standard	2006-09-13	Valid
N94418	Forney G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner South Carolina	Standard	2006-09-13	Valid
N99206	Engineering & Research ERCOUPE 415-D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner South Carolina	Standard	2006-09-13	Valid
N221NJ	Piper J3C-65	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Illinois	Standard	2006-09-12	Valid
N2110V	Cessna 120	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Pennsylvania	Standard	2006-09-11	Valid
N3870H	Ercoupe 415-C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Standard	2006-09-06	Valid
N43680	Taylorcraft BC12-D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Stewarts Aircraft Service INC Waynesville, Ohio	Standard	2006-08-31	Valid
N1731V	Cessna 120	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Kentucky	Standard	2006-08-23	Valid
N82125	Aeronca 7AC	Fixed-wing, single engine	J & D Services INC Wilmington, Delaware	Standard	2006-08-17	Valid
N1831K	Silvaire LUSCOMBE 8E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Withheld at owner's request	Standard	2006-08-11	Valid
N72362	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Elmira Aeronautical Associates INC Elmira, New York	Standard	2006-08-09	Valid
N43614	Taylorcraft BC12-D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Oregon	Standard	2006-08-08	Valid
N4149N	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Michigan	Standard	2006-08-04	Valid
N1778V	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	2006-08-02	Valid
N4905M	Piper PA-11	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Missouri	Standard	2006-07-26	Valid
N99630	Engineering & Research ERCOUPE 415-C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New York	Standard	2006-07-26	Valid
N1748N	Cessna 120	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner North Dakota	Standard	2006-07-25	Valid
N9072C	Aeronca 7BCM	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Wisconsin	Standard	2006-07-24	Valid
N4297E	Aeronca 11CC	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Georgia	Standard	2006-07-18	Valid
N1594	Cougar 1	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Washington	Experimental	2006-07-07	Valid
N89798	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner South Dakota	Standard	2006-07-06	Valid
N76645	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner South Carolina	Standard	2006-07-03	Valid
N2906N	Cessna 120	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	2006-06-27	Valid
N2870N	Cessna 120	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alaska	Standard	2006-06-19	Valid
N81180	Mcclish FUNK B85C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Oklahoma	Standard	2006-06-14	Valid
N10450	Aeronca 7BCM	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Louisiana	Standard	2006-05-23	Valid
N25070	Piper J3C-65	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	2006-05-17	Valid
N90061	Cessna 120	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner South Dakota	Standard	2006-05-08	Valid
N6891C	Miniplane CEG	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Oregon	Experimental	2006-05-05	Valid
N2430N	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	2006-05-01	Valid
N89265	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	2006-04-25	Valid
N2390Y	Aeronca 7BCM	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New York	Standard	2006-04-18	Valid
N43698	Taylorcraft BC12-D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Alaska	Standard	2006-04-13	Valid
N2456K	Luscombe 8E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	2006-04-05	Valid
N83600	Aeronca 7DC	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Michigan	Standard	2006-03-28	Valid
N1866K	Silvaire LUSCOMBE 8	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Colorado	Standard	2006-03-27	Valid
N87784	Piper J3C-65	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Oregon	Standard	2006-03-21	Valid
N89730	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Arizona	Standard	2006-03-21	Valid
N2277N	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner North Carolina	Standard	2006-03-10	Valid
N76719	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Georgia	Standard	2006-03-10	Valid
N4664H	Piper PA-17	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New Hampshire	Standard	2006-03-07	Valid
N26096	Piper J3C-65	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Virginia	Multiple	2006-03-03	Valid
N4185N	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Washington	Standard	2006-02-23	Valid
N3943H	Ercoupe 415-CD	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner South Carolina	Standard	2006-02-16	Valid
N72605	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	2006-02-16	Valid
N77748	Funk B85C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Illinois	Standard	2006-02-15	Valid
N1945N	Cessna 120	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alaska	Standard	2006-02-07	Valid
N3086N	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Missouri	Standard	2006-02-06	Valid
N9779E	Aeronca 11AC	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Washington	Standard	2006-01-04	Valid
N89290	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alaska	Standard	2005-12-20	Valid
N1988N	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner California	Standard	2005-12-01	Valid
N85257	American Champion Aircraft 7AC	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Ohio	Standard	2005-12-01	Valid
N56274	Piper J3C-65	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Texas	Standard	2005-11-08	Valid
N76732	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Pennsylvania	Standard	2005-11-03	Valid
N72957	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Utah	Standard	2005-11-02	Valid
N1739E	Aeronca 7DC	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Georgia	Standard	2005-10-26	Valid
N60JS	Shewmaker CASSUTT III M	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Experimental	2005-10-26	Valid
N3156H	Ercoupe 415-C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Washington	Standard	2005-09-09	Valid
N6283C	Aeronca 7BCM	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Kansas	Standard	2005-08-05	Valid
N1917V	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner North Carolina	Standard	2005-08-02	Valid
N73099	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Pennsylvania	Standard	2005-08-02	Valid
N77194	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Kentucky	Standard	2005-08-01	Valid
N6285C	Aeronca 7BCM	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Arizona	Standard	2005-07-29	Valid
N9641A	Cessna 140A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Georgia	Standard	2005-07-29	Valid

Source: FAA Civil Aviation Registry, Releasable Aircraft Database (the engine reference table and each aircraft's engine code), October 7, 2026. Horsepower and thrust are the FAA's figures for the series, not for a particular aircraft.