Engines · piston (reciprocating) · data as of October 5, 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

Cessna 1401,253Cessna 120602Piper J-3 Cub519Aeronca 7 Champion (Champ)360Luscombe 8 Silvaire321Ercoupe 415267Aeronca 11 Chief136Engineering & Research ERCOUPE 415111Piper PA-11 Cub Special68Engineering & Research 41568Taylorcraft BC12 BC-12D60Commonwealth 18557

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

Kind of aircraft

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

When the aircraft were built by decade

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

Parts most often reported as the reports name them

Spar2Throttle Cable2Bearing1Control Unit1Downlock Switch1Elt1Exhaust Valve1Guide1Propeller1Rib1

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
N4158N	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Oklahoma	Standard	2024-04-18	Valid
N72808	Cessna 120	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	2024-04-17	Valid
N6581H	Piper J4A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Colorado	Standard	2024-04-16	Valid
N98548	Piper J3C-65	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner North Carolina	Standard	2024-04-16	Valid
N1668E	Aeronca 7DC	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Maine	Standard	2024-04-13	Valid
N2817N	Cessna 120	Fixed-wing, single engine	Eagles Nest Projects Wisonsin Burlington, Wisconsin	Standard	2024-04-11	Valid
N42083	Piper J3C-85	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Texas	Standard	2024-04-11	Valid
N140JT	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Washington	Standard	2024-04-09	Valid
N77245	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Fcboulder LLC Boulder, Colorado	Standard	2024-04-08	Valid
N4292N	Cessna 120	Fixed-wing, single engine	Withheld at owner's request	Standard	2024-04-07	Valid
N2415H	Ercoupe 415-CD	Fixed-wing, single engine	Ercoupe LLC Colonial Heights, Virginia	Standard	2024-04-06	Valid
N140YA	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Ohio	Standard	2024-04-05	Valid
N72208	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Florida	Standard	2024-04-05	Valid
N1600K	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	2024-04-03	Valid
N2501B	Aeronca 7BCM	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	2024-04-03	Valid
N2733N	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Wyoming	Standard	2024-04-03	Valid
N3931E	Aeronca 11BC	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Oklahoma	Standard	2024-04-03	Valid
N95F	Franken VARIEZE	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Utah	Experimental	2024-03-30	Valid
N99539	Ercoupe 415-C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Indiana	Standard	2024-03-30	Valid
N90382	Globe GC-1A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Michigan	Standard	2024-03-29	Valid
N2589N	Cessna 120	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Arizona	Standard	2024-03-21	Valid
N2271N	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner South Dakota	Standard	2024-03-18	Valid
N2812N	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New York	Standard	2024-03-15	Valid
N72932	Cessna 120	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Arizona	Standard	2024-03-15	Valid
N72989	Cessna 120	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	2024-03-15	Valid
N82029	Aeronca 7AC	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Colorado	Standard	2024-03-15	Valid
N99879	Ercoupe 415-D	Fixed-wing, single engine	N46P INC Fort Wayne, Indiana	Standard	2024-03-15	Valid
N250KE	Piper J3C-65	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Oregon	Standard	2024-03-14	Valid
N2526E	Aeronca 7AC	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Kansas	Standard	2024-03-14	Valid
N5020G	Gary Lake JODEL D-11	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Oregon	Experimental	2024-03-14	Valid
N81834	Champion 7AC	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Missouri	Standard	2024-03-14	Valid
N99960	Engineering & Research ERCOUPE 415-C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Oregon	Standard	2024-03-14	Valid
N140D	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Oregon	Standard	2024-03-12	Valid
N77153	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alaska	Standard	2024-03-12	Valid
N1436N	Piper J3C-65	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alaska	Standard	2024-03-11	Valid
N77143	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Maine	Standard	2024-03-11	Valid
N2960N	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Indiana	Standard	2024-03-10	Valid
N81670	Aeronca 7BCM	Fixed-wing, single engine	Buckshot Aviation LLC Greenville, Mississippi	Standard	2024-03-09	Valid
N85757	Aeronca 7BCM	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Minnesota	Standard	2024-03-08	Valid
N1818N	Cessna 120	Fixed-wing, single engine	Firth Thomas H IV Sonora, California	Standard	2024-03-07	Valid
N703VV	Engineering & Research 415-C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Bowers Airplanes LLC Chesterfield, Virginia	Standard	2024-03-07	Valid
N30210	Piper J3C-65	Fixed-wing, single engine	Western Antique Aeroplane & Automobile Museum Hood River, Oregon	Standard	2024-03-05	Valid
N42497	Piper J3C-65	Fixed-wing, single engine	Mission Aviators LLC Spring, Texas	Standard	2024-03-05	Valid
N7072J	Patton Al PATTON PARRAKEET A4C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Max Cl INC Wilmington, Delaware	Experimental	2024-03-04	Valid
N73066	Cessna 120	Fixed-wing, single engine	Withheld at owner's request	Standard	2024-03-04	Valid
N490DC	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Wisconsin	Standard	2024-03-03	Valid
N76673	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	2024-03-03	Valid
N2013B	Luscombe 8A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Washington	Standard	2024-03-02	Valid
N747SH	Aeronca S11AC	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Arkansas	Standard	2024-03-02	Valid
N1354B	Luscombe 8E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	2024-03-01	Valid
N2078H	Ercoupe 415-C	Fixed-wing, single engine	84 Aviation LLP Lebanon, Ohio	Standard	2024-03-01	Valid
N95169	Taylorcraft BC12-D	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Wyoming	Standard	2024-03-01	Valid
N94184	Engineering & Research ERCOUPE 415-C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	2024-02-29	Valid
N78656	Piper PA-11	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Nebraska	Standard	2024-02-28	Valid
N2757N	Cessna 120	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Alaska	Standard	2024-02-27	Valid
N9672A	Cessna 140A	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Washington	Standard	2024-02-23	Valid
N3062N	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	2024-02-21	Valid
N406MM	Williams MM-1	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Nevada	Experimental	2024-02-21	Valid
N72894	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine		Standard	2024-02-21	Valid
N2171E	Aeronca 7DC	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Indiana	Standard	2024-02-19	Valid
N86997	Engineering & Research ERCOUPE 415-C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Co-owned owner Texas	Standard	2024-02-19	Valid
N1806K	Luscombe 8E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Idaho	Standard	2024-02-16	Valid
N81051	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	2024-02-13	Valid
N89982	Cessna 120	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Alaska	Standard	2024-02-13	Valid
N70375	Piper J3C-85	Fixed-wing, single engine	Hatbrightfarm LLC Wilmington, Delaware	Standard	2024-02-12	Valid
N1632N	Funk B85C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Ohio	Standard	2024-02-10	Valid
N4594M	Piper PA-11	Fixed-wing, single engine	Pilster Ranch CORP Alzada, Montana	Standard	2024-02-09	Valid
N2438H	Engineering & Research ERCOUPE 415-C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Kentucky	Standard	2024-02-08	Valid
N70906	Piper J3C-65	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner California	Standard	2024-02-08	Valid
N76155	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Beaver Valley Aircraft Maintenance LLC New Carlisle, Ohio	Standard	2024-02-04	Valid
N89785	Cessna 120	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Washington	Standard	2024-02-03	Valid
N1944N	Cessna 120	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Ohio	Standard	2024-02-02	Valid
N99622	Engineering & Research 415-E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner South Carolina	Standard	2024-02-01	Valid
N10525	Aeronca 7CCM	Fixed-wing, single engine	C&L Aviation LLC London, Wisconsin	Standard	2024-01-31	Valid
N3393N	Piper J3C-65	Fixed-wing, single engine	Piper Aviation Museum Foundation Lock Haven, Pennsylvania	Restricted	2024-01-31	Valid
N38687	Piper PA-11	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Utah	Standard	2024-01-31	Valid
N72719	Cessna 120	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner North Carolina	Standard	2024-01-31	Valid
N90054	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Two Ten Aero LLC Safford, Arizona	Standard	2024-01-30	Valid
N1823V	Cessna 120	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Arizona	Standard	2024-01-29	Valid
N2669K	Luscombe 8E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New Mexico	Standard	2024-01-29	Valid
N2765N	Cessna 120	Fixed-wing, single engine	Adverse Yaw LLC Erie, Colorado	Standard	2024-01-28	Valid
N4038E	Aeronca 11BC	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Minnesota	Standard	2024-01-28	Valid
N76295	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Wyoming	Standard	2024-01-28	Valid
N72128	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Texas	Standard	2024-01-27	Valid
N9369E	Aeronca 11AC	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Maryland	Standard	2024-01-27	Valid
N39031	Silvaire LUSCOMBE 8E	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Illinois	Standard	2024-01-26	Valid
N35173	Piper J3C-65	Fixed-wing, single engine	Newby Aviation LLC Pingree Grove, Illinois	Standard	2024-01-25	Valid
N1791N	Cessna 120	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Illinois	Standard	2024-01-23	Valid
N3923E	Aeronca 11BC	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Wisconsin	Standard	2024-01-23	Valid
N76232	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Wisconsin	Standard	2024-01-22	Valid
N2702N	Cessna 120	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Minnesota	Standard	2024-01-20	Valid
N89523	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Wisconsin	Standard	2024-01-20	Valid
N72831	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Georgia	Standard	2024-01-19	Valid
N76955	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Illinois	Standard	2024-01-18	Valid
N99919	Ercoupe 415-C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Indiana	Standard	2024-01-18	Valid
N28285	Piper J3C-65	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New York	Restricted	2024-01-17	Valid
N6684H	Piper J3C-65	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner New York	Standard	2024-01-17	Valid
N72633	Cessna 140	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Ohio	Standard	2024-01-17	Valid
N99306	Engineering & Research ERCOUPE 415-C	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner West Virginia	Standard	2024-01-16	Valid
N4360E	Aeronca 7DC	Fixed-wing, single engine	Individual owner Wyoming	Standard	2024-01-15	Valid

Source: FAA Civil Aviation Registry, Releasable Aircraft Database (the engine reference table and each aircraft's engine code), October 5, 2026. Horsepower and thrust are the FAA's figures for the series, not for a particular aircraft.