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
N2653K	Luscombe 8E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	1983-06-13	Valid
N39449	Hoffman/Hoffman FLYBABY	Fixed-wing, single engine	Hoffman Anthony J Rathdrum, Idaho	Experimental	1983-06-07	Valid
N82GJ	Johnson Glenn I RUTAN VARIEZE	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Experimental	1983-05-31	Valid
N44165	Taylorcraft BC12D-4-85	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New Hampshire	Standard	1983-05-19	Valid
N2389N	Cessna 120	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Illinois	Standard	1983-04-06	Valid
N30125	Pitts S-1C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Iowa	Experimental	1983-03-11	Valid
N1810N	Cessna 120	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Pennsylvania	Standard	1983-02-11	Valid
N2921K	Luscombe 8E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Colorado	Standard	1983-02-11	Valid
N3632K	Piper J3C-65	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Wyoming	Multiple	1983-01-04	Valid
N9436A	Cessna 140A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Standard	1982-12-23	Valid
N4295E	Champion 7BCM	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Minnesota	Standard	1982-11-22	Valid
N120CE	Cessna 120	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Standard	1982-10-12	Valid
N1720V	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New Hampshire	Standard	1982-09-22	Valid
N4311E	Aeronca 11CC	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Minnesota	Standard	1982-09-08	Valid
N2649N	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner North Carolina	Standard	1982-08-21	Valid
N26809	Piper J4A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Maryland	Standard	1982-08-03	Valid
N77JM	Marlin John E VARIEZE	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Arizona	Experimental	1982-07-19	Valid
N92982	Commonwealth 185	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Alaska	Standard	1982-07-17	Valid
N1524B	Silvaire LUSCOMBE 8E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Colorado	Standard	1982-06-24	Valid
N72737	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alaska	Standard	1982-06-17	Valid
N2550K	Luscombe 8E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Mississippi	Standard	1982-05-03	Valid
N76366	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner North Carolina	Standard	1982-04-23	Valid
N77352	Cessna 120	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Wisconsin	Standard	1982-04-09	Valid
N72654	Cessna 120	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Indiana	Standard	1981-10-19	Valid
N77419	Cessna 120	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	1981-10-17	Valid
N93233	Commonwealth 185	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Arizona	Standard	1981-09-30	Valid
N1971K	Luscombe 8E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Illinois	Standard	1981-09-23	Valid
N42029	Piper J3C-65	Fixed-wing, single engine	Donalds Air Park INC Pantego, North Carolina	Standard	1981-09-08	Valid
N2039M	Piper J3C-65	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Minnesota	Standard	1981-07-09	Valid
N5489N	Shannon & Buente SB-1	Fixed-wing, single engine	Shannon Harry D Bartow, Florida	Experimental	1981-06-26	Valid
N2556H	Engineering & Research ERCOUPE 415-C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Iowa	Standard	1981-06-11	Valid
N72742	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Iowa	Standard	1981-06-05	Valid
N27123	Piper J3C-65	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Tennessee	Standard	1981-06-04	Valid
N2021K	Luscombe 8E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Maryland	Standard	1981-04-23	Valid
N1894V	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Illinois	Standard	1981-04-17	Valid
N2311N	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner California	Standard	1981-04-17	Valid
N82199	Aeronca 7BCM	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Minnesota	Standard	1981-04-02	Valid
N4379E	Aeronca 11CC	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Arizona	Standard	1981-02-20	Valid
N76017	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Indiana	Standard	1981-02-19	Valid
N1057N	Miller Richard L VARIEZE	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Colorado	Experimental	1981-02-11	Valid
N4444H	Piper PA-15	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Ohio	Standard	1981-01-19	Valid
N72318	Cessna 120	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Wisconsin	Standard	1980-11-03	Valid
N27033	Piper J3C-65	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Mississippi	Standard	1980-08-21	Valid
N43339	Taylorcraft Aviation Corp 19	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Minnesota	Standard	1980-08-07	Valid
N2264H	Engineering & Research ERCOUPE 415-C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Oklahoma	Standard	1980-08-01	Valid
N29036	Piper J3C-65	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	1980-07-17	Valid
N6028H	Piper J3C-65	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Michigan	Standard	1980-07-17	Valid
N1838N	Cessna 120	Fixed-wing, single engine	Mutual Flyers INC Columbus, Nebraska	Standard	1980-06-02	Valid
N2498C	Aeronca 7BCM	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Missouri	Standard	1980-05-23	Valid
N23NR	Rossignol Norman VARIEZE	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Connecticut	Experimental	1980-05-20	Valid
N2120N	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Missouri	Standard	1980-03-18	Valid
N81049	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner California	Standard	1980-01-30	Valid
N4238E	Aeronca 11CC	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Minnesota	Standard	1980-01-25	Valid
N77007	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	1980-01-17	Valid
N1585B	Luscombe 8E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	1980-01-14	Valid
N89978	Cessna 120	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New Mexico	Standard	1979-12-28	Valid
N84519	Aeronca 7DC	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Kentucky	Standard	1979-11-23	Valid
N2299N	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	1979-11-09	Valid
N1721V	Cessna 120	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner North Carolina	Standard	1979-10-31	Valid
N85750	Champion 7AC	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Indiana	Standard	1979-10-02	Valid
N84428	Aeronca 7AC	Fixed-wing, single engine	Warner James B JR Lincoln, Nebraska	Standard	1979-07-23	Valid
N94868	Engineering & Research ERCOUPE 415-E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner California	Standard	1979-07-10	Valid
N4730M	Piper PA-11	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Minnesota	Standard	1979-06-08	Valid
N9AA	Amsden MIDGET MUSTAMG I	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Minnesota	Experimental	1979-05-16	Valid
N2874N	Cessna 120	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Arizona	Standard	1979-05-07	Valid
N89155	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Arizona	Standard	1979-04-13	Valid
N44BM	Cessna 120	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	1979-04-06	Valid
N42179	Piper J3C-65	Fixed-wing, single engine	Simonson Larry A Dalton, Minnesota	Standard	1979-02-15	Valid
N2662E	Champion 7BCM	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Arkansas	Standard	1979-02-07	Valid
N2715N	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Standard	1979-01-29	Valid
N77452	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Washington	Standard	1978-12-07	Valid
N24523	Piper J4A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Minnesota	Standard	1978-09-15	Valid
N3639K	Piper J3C-65	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Minnesota	Standard	1978-08-17	Valid
N89592	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Pennsylvania	Standard	1978-07-17	Valid
N3955E	Aeronca 11BC	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Minnesota	Standard	1978-05-08	Valid
N2721K	Luscombe 8E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Arizona	Standard	1978-03-13	Valid
N2416K	Silvaire LUSCOMBE 8E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	1978-03-09	Valid
N5340C	Cessna 140A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Washington	Standard	1978-02-28	Valid
N28113	Piper J3C-65	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Kansas	Standard	1978-01-20	Valid
N72803	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	1978-01-12	Valid
N3997E	Aeronca 11BC	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Kansas	Standard	1977-12-12	Valid
N72484	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Colorado	Standard	1977-11-15	Valid
N4545E	Aeronca 11CC	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Wisconsin	Standard	1977-10-27	Valid
N40660	Piper J3C-65	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Montana	Multiple	1977-10-26	Valid
N1522B	Luscombe 8E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Hetrick Bros INC Orovada, Nevada	Standard	1977-08-24	Valid
N4643M	Piper PA-11	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Minnesota	Standard	1977-08-18	Valid
N2737N	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New Mexico	Standard	1977-07-28	Valid
N76776	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Washington	Standard	1977-06-30	Valid
N70957	Piper J3C-65	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Washington	Standard	1977-05-09	Valid
N90340	Universal GLOBE GC-1A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Minnesota	Standard	1977-03-24	Valid
N1976V	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner South Dakota	Standard	1977-02-11	Valid
N89698	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Colorado	Standard	1977-01-04	Valid
N610S	Mong Sport 1	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Oregon	Experimental	1976-12-28	Valid
N5271M	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	1976-11-02	Valid
N42806	Piper J3C-85	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Arizona	Standard	1976-10-29	Valid
N3517K	Piper J3C-65	Fixed-wing, single engine	Moore Orville G Hays, Kansas	Standard	1976-09-14	Valid
N3562V	Cessna 120	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	1976-09-12	Valid
N1849K	Luscombe 8E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Washington	Standard	1976-09-09	Valid
N72292	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Montana	Standard	1976-07-06	Valid
N1662V	Cessna 120	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Ohio	Standard	1976-06-07	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.