Engines · piston (reciprocating) · data as of October 8, 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

The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/engine/continental-c85-series.json.

Aircraft newest certificates first · 4,671

Tail no.	Maker and model	Group	Owner and base	Certificate	Registered	Status
N120CW	Cessna 120	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	1994-10-14	Valid
N3112H	Ercoupe 415-C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Kansas	Standard	1994-09-30	Valid
N2404K	Silvaire LUSCOMBE 8E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Michigan	Standard	1994-09-14	Valid
N72221	Cessna 120	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Washington	Standard	1994-08-09	Valid
N89011	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	1994-08-09	Valid
N80CW	Mccain Carl W EMERAUDE	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Indiana	Experimental	1994-07-25	Valid
N89347	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Oregon	Standard	1994-07-20	Valid
N78420	Piper J3C-65	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Washington	Standard	1994-07-15	Valid
N508D	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Michigan	Standard	1994-07-11	Valid
N2266L	Putnam Michael Charles CASSUTT SPORT	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Kansas	Experimental	1994-07-01	Valid
N9742E	Aeronca 11AC	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Maryland	Standard	1994-07-01	Valid
N72556	Cessna 120	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	1994-06-27	Valid
N81823	Aeronca 7BCM	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Montana	Standard	1994-05-27	Valid
N89069	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Massachusetts	Standard	1994-05-20	Valid
N3430H	Ercoupe 415-G	Fixed-wing, single engine	Mid Atlantic Air Museum Reading, Pennsylvania	Standard	1994-05-18	Valid
N26838	Piper J3C-65	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Virginia	Standard	1994-05-17	Valid
N2006N	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Breeding Jarrard L Sharpsburg, Georgia	Standard	1994-05-11	Valid
N76905	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Wyoming	Standard	1994-05-05	Valid
N38734	Piper J3C-65	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Indiana	Standard	1994-04-15	Valid
N2213H	Ercoupe 415-C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Michigan	Standard	1994-03-29	Valid
N3137N	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Michigan	Standard	1994-02-25	Valid
N2243B	Luscombe 8E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner South Dakota	Standard	1994-02-11	Valid
N2492N	Cessna 120	Fixed-wing, single engine	Albert Lea Airport INC Albert Lea, Minnesota	Standard	1994-02-10	Valid
N900FG	Ercoupe 415-C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Ohio	Standard	1994-02-10	Valid
N35535	Piper J-3	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Standard	1994-01-28	Valid
N74702	Travis Theodore C CORBEN JUNIOR ACE E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Slack Jonathan D Bonfield, Illinois	Experimental	1994-01-20	Valid
N83492	Aeronca 7DC-CONV	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Michigan	Standard	1994-01-19	Valid
N88231	Piper J3C-65	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Arkansas	Standard	1994-01-19	Valid
N28F	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Virginia	Standard	1993-12-10	Valid
N92968	Commonwealth 185	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner West Virginia	Standard	1993-11-18	Valid
N63486	Aeronca 7BCM	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	1993-11-16	Valid
N2342K	Luscombe 8A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New Mexico	Standard	1993-11-12	Valid
N2281K	Luscombe 8E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Colorado	Standard	1993-11-09	Valid
N41083	Piper J3C-65	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Indiana	Standard	1993-10-26	Valid
N2222E	Aeronca 7BCM	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Michigan	Standard	1993-10-05	Valid
N3049H	Engineering & Research 415-D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner South Carolina	Standard	1993-09-11	Valid
N84144	Champion 7AC	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner North Dakota	Multiple	1993-09-07	Valid
N33395	Commonwealth 185	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Washington	Standard	1993-08-24	Valid
N4553M	Piper PA-11	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner West Virginia	Standard	1993-08-19	Valid
N2602N	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	1993-08-12	Valid
N72005	Luscombe 8A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Washington	Standard	1993-08-12	Valid
N4559E	Aeronca 7CCM	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Wisconsin	Standard	1993-08-05	Valid
N89535	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Pennsylvania	Multiple	1993-08-05	Valid
N98801	Piper J3C-65	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Colorado	Multiple	1993-07-30	Valid
N89384	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Gast Eldon B Garner, Iowa	Standard	1993-07-15	Valid
N85CN	Piper J3C-65	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New Jersey	Standard	1993-05-21	Valid
N72715	Cessna 120	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Pennsylvania	Standard	1993-05-13	Valid
N81EE	Egan Joseph L VARIEZE	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Experimental	1993-05-13	Valid
N89682	Cessna 120	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	1993-04-15	Valid
N2969N	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	1993-04-09	Valid
N41122	Piper J-3C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Restricted	1993-03-17	Valid
N11M	Rezich Bros. SPECIAL	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Illinois	Experimental	1993-02-08	Valid
N2201N	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Iowa	Standard	1993-02-04	Valid
N3143H	Engineering & Research ERCOUPE 415-C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Washington	Standard	1993-02-04	Valid
N81136	Mcclish FUNK B85C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Pearlman Aircraft CO Orlando, Florida	Standard	1993-01-21	Valid
N93DH	Taylorcraft BCS12-D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	1993-01-12	Valid
N4305E	Aeronca 7DC	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Montana	Multiple	1993-01-05	Valid
N271H	Ercoupe 415-C	Fixed-wing, single engine		Standard	1992-11-25	Valid
N2613N	Cessna 120	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner North Carolina	Standard	1992-11-09	Valid
N99698	Engineering & Research ERCOUPE 415-D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Pennsylvania	Standard	1992-10-05	Valid
N76257	Cessna 120	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Michigan	Standard	1992-09-22	Valid
N70395	Piper J3C-65	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Michigan	Standard	1992-08-19	Valid
N123BW	Piper J3C-65	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Minnesota	Multiple	1992-08-13	Valid
N4064E	Aeronca 11BC	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner South Dakota	Standard	1992-07-30	Valid
N2457K	Luscombe 8E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Georgia	Standard	1992-07-13	Valid
N77053	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	1992-06-26	Valid
N111B	Corben Baby Ace D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Gehrlein Rodney L Waterford, Pennsylvania	Experimental	1992-06-23	Valid
N31000	Piper J5A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Maine	Standard	1992-06-23	Valid
N89923	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alaska	Standard	1992-06-18	Valid
N2401N	Cessna 120	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Minnesota	Standard	1992-06-04	Valid
N72201	Cessna 120	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Arizona	Standard	1992-04-27	Valid
N2555N	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Arizona	Standard	1992-04-17	Valid
N31092	Piper J3C-65	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alaska	Standard	1992-04-14	Valid
N84781	Aeronca 7AC	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Illinois	Experimental	1992-04-14	Valid
N32772	Piper J3C-65	Fixed-wing, single engine	Lohse Flying Service INC Carter, Montana	Standard	1992-04-13	Valid
N1845N	Cessna 120	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	1992-03-18	Valid
N99159	Ercoupe 415-C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Oregon	Standard	1992-03-10	Valid
N99112	Engineering & Research 415-D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Delaware	Standard	1992-01-17	Valid
N72187	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Pennsylvania	Standard	1991-12-19	Valid
N77161	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Standard	1991-12-13	Valid
N90055	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New York	Standard	1991-10-30	Valid
N22WT	Piper J3C-65	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Restricted	1991-10-22	Valid
N11XP	Mcholland XPA-11	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Washington	Experimental	1991-10-07	Valid
N89334	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	1991-10-02	Valid
N46896	Aeronca 0-58B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Restricted	1991-10-01	Valid
N4203N	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Washington	Standard	1991-09-18	Valid
N1790V	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	1991-09-12	Valid
N77736	Mcclish FUNK B85C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Washington	Standard	1991-09-06	Valid
N96144	Taylorcraft BC12-D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	1991-09-05	Valid
N4018N	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner California	Standard	1991-08-30	Valid
N10967	Curtiss Wright JR CW1	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Experimental	1991-08-20	Valid
N4222E	Aeronca 11CC	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Missouri	Standard	1991-08-19	Valid
N51HJ	Jones Stephen C MIDGET MUSTANG I	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Illinois	Experimental	1991-08-08	Valid
N76196	Cessna 120	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner California	Standard	1991-08-05	Valid
N76682	Cessna 120	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Nevada	Standard	1991-08-01	Valid
N1761K	Luscombe 8E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	1991-07-31	Valid
N1984N	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Pennsylvania	Standard	1991-07-31	Valid
N140G	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Pennsylvania	Standard	1991-07-19	Valid
N33265	Piper J5A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Oregon	Standard	1991-07-18	Valid
N4278N	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Pennsylvania	Standard	1991-07-16	Valid

Source: FAA Civil Aviation Registry, Releasable Aircraft Database (the engine reference table and each aircraft's engine code), October 8, 2026. Horsepower and thrust are the FAA's figures for the series, not for a particular aircraft.