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
N1402B	Luscombe 8E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner South Dakota	Standard	1988-02-24	Valid
N4396E	Aeronca 7DC	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Minnesota	Standard	1988-02-19	Valid
N2041A	Champion AERONCA 7BCM	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Minnesota	Standard	1988-01-21	Valid
N42480	Piper J3C-65	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Standard	1987-12-08	Valid
N89466	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New York	Standard	1987-11-16	Valid
N4163N	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	1987-11-13	Valid
N72951	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Kansas	Standard	1987-11-10	Valid
N77051	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Georgia	Standard	1987-09-25	Valid
N72368	Cessna 120	Fixed-wing, single engine	Meech Charles G Tampa, Florida	Standard	1987-09-21	Valid
N72907	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Standard	1987-09-03	Valid
N89104	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Wisconsin	Standard	1987-09-03	Valid
N149N	Piper PA-11	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New York	Standard	1987-08-25	Valid
N77013	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Maine	Standard	1987-08-01	Valid
N2783N	Cessna 120	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Indiana	Standard	1987-07-24	Valid
N76310	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Illinois	Standard	1987-07-13	Valid
N670E	Wright FIKE	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Missouri	None on file	1987-07-06	Valid
N74RW	Westerberg Roger K CASSUTT IIIM	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Minnesota	Experimental	1987-06-29	Valid
N10493	Aeronca 7BCM	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Standard	1987-06-27	Valid
N2680K	Luscombe 8E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Louisiana	Standard	1987-06-04	Valid
N71472	Luscombe 8A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alaska	Standard	1987-05-27	Valid
N4151E	Aeronca 11CC	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Missouri	Standard	1987-04-01	Valid
N90034	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Arkansas	Standard	1987-01-26	Valid
N72563	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Florida	Standard	1987-01-15	Valid
N86237	Shiver PITTS SPECIAL S-1	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Ohio	Experimental	1986-11-19	Valid
N2546H	Ercoupe 415-C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Michigan	Standard	1986-10-23	Valid
N10MJ	Hocker/Hocker VARI-EZE	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Ohio	Experimental	1986-10-10	Valid
N725X	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	1986-09-12	Valid
N4776H	Piper PA-11	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Montana	Multiple	1986-08-21	Valid
N2601N	Cessna 120	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Wisconsin	Standard	1986-07-22	Valid
N982HE	Piper J3C-65	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Indiana	Standard	1986-07-09	Valid
N3581V	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Indiana	Standard	1986-06-09	Valid
N77254	Cessna 120	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Virginia	Standard	1986-05-06	Valid
N24115	Funk B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Standard	1986-04-17	Valid
N4373E	Aeronca 7CCM	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Minnesota	Standard	1986-03-25	Valid
N2046M	Piper J3C-65	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner North Carolina	Multiple	1986-03-20	Valid
N120RW	Cessna 120	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	1986-03-19	Valid
N44226	Taylorcraft BC12-D1	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Maine	Standard	1986-03-19	Valid
N2298N	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Hall David K Madisonville, Tennessee	Standard	1986-03-18	Valid
N21RB	Brammer Robert C OSPREY 1	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Virginia	Experimental	1986-03-17	Valid
N69HW	Hussey-Waddell DA-2A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Wisconsin	Experimental	1986-02-14	Valid
N60TW	Williams Tom EAA BIPLANE	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Colorado	Experimental	1986-02-04	Valid
N87121	Engineering & Research 415-C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Georgia	Standard	1986-02-04	Valid
N89062	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	1986-01-29	Valid
N88122	Piper J3C-65	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Massachusetts	Standard	1985-12-31	Valid
N72570	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New Hampshire	Standard	1985-12-19	Valid
N92926	Commonwealth REARWIN 185	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Michigan	Standard	1985-12-09	Valid
N93250	Commonwealth 185	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Michigan	Standard	1985-12-09	Valid
N93278	Commonwealth 185	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Michigan	Standard	1985-12-09	Valid
N2586N	Cessna 120	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Tennessee	Standard	1985-12-05	Valid
N3935E	Aeronca 11BC	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Michigan	Standard	1985-11-19	Valid
N72431	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	1985-11-08	Valid
N2266V	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Washington	Standard	1985-11-04	Valid
N72371	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Arizona	Standard	1985-10-23	Valid
N2566N	Cessna 120	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Missouri	Standard	1985-10-09	Valid
N2708N	Cessna 120	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Ohio	Standard	1985-09-26	Valid
N79E	Smith Miniplane DSA-1	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Wisconsin	Experimental	1985-09-07	Valid
N56J	Mong Sport JL-65	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner North Dakota	Experimental	1985-08-12	Valid
N72273	Cessna 120	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Rhode Island	Standard	1985-08-02	Valid
N72483	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New York	Standard	1985-08-01	Valid
N90321	Globe GC-1B	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Tennessee	Standard	1985-07-27	Valid
N4538M	Piper PA-11	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Pennsylvania	Standard	1985-06-19	Valid
N1639K	Luscombe 8E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner South Dakota	Standard	1985-05-28	Valid
N2330N	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	1985-05-23	Valid
N92914	Commonwealth REARWIN 185	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Virginia	Standard	1985-05-07	Valid
N138C	Lawrence Tech 1	Fixed-wing, single engine	Lawrence Technological University Southfield, Michigan	Experimental	1985-04-29	Valid
N76458	Cessna 120	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Standard	1985-04-25	Valid
N94145	Ercoupe 415-C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Michigan	Standard	1985-03-25	Valid
N83244	Aeronca 7AC	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Washington	Standard	1985-03-21	Valid
N4752H	Piper PA-11	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner North Dakota	Standard	1985-02-20	Valid
N72800	Cessna 120	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Alabama	Standard	1985-02-11	Valid
N1663V	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	1985-02-06	Valid
N6358H	Piper J3C-65	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Oregon	Multiple	1985-02-01	Valid
N2211K	Luscombe 8A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Iowa	Standard	1985-01-08	Valid
N314DM	Marshall Donald R CASSUTT III M	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Missouri	Experimental	1984-11-29	Valid
N90139	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Tennessee	Standard	1984-09-14	Valid
N98781	Piper J3C-65	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Minnesota	Standard	1984-09-11	Valid
N1419B	Luscombe 8E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Kansas	Standard	1984-08-03	Valid
N54Q	Exline Ace-C ACE-C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Ohio	Experimental	1984-07-27	Valid
N80708	Globe GC-1A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner North Carolina	Standard	1984-07-23	Valid
N83992	Aeronca 7AC	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	1984-06-28	Valid
N777CK	Elkins Edward J CASSUTT III-M	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Experimental	1984-06-05	Valid
N1798V	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	1984-05-10	Valid
N2972E	Aeronca 7AC	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	1984-05-05	Valid
N89906	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	1984-05-03	Valid
N3535V	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Virginia	Standard	1984-04-11	Valid
N4039N	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Maine	Standard	1984-03-27	Valid
N72791	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	1984-03-21	Valid
N93280	Commonwealth 185	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Michigan	Standard	1984-02-28	Valid
N1636V	Cessna 120	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Oregon	Standard	1984-02-14	Valid
N89368	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Wisconsin	Standard	1984-02-09	Valid
N42847	Piper J3C-65	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Georgia	Standard	1984-01-12	Valid
N1726N	Cessna 120	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	1984-01-11	Valid
N2094H	Engineering & Research ERCOUPE 415-C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Georgia	Standard	1984-01-05	Valid
N4357E	Aeronca 7DC	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Georgia	Multiple	1983-12-10	Valid
N4661	Miniplane BM-1	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner South Dakota	Experimental	1983-11-29	Valid
N4209N	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Indiana	Standard	1983-10-13	Valid
N92907	Commonwealth 185	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Connecticut	Standard	1983-10-04	Valid
N5601M	Taylorcraft Aviation Corp 19	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Ohio	Standard	1983-09-22	Valid
N12930	Chester Special RACER	Fixed-wing, single engine	Eaa Aviation Foundation INC Oshkosh, Wisconsin	Standard	1983-08-01	Valid
N2700K	Silvaire LUSCOMBE 8E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	1983-07-19	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.