Continental Aerospace Technologies#Products

File:Continental AV-1790-5B.JPG tank engine at the American Armored Foundation Tank Museum in Danville, Virginia.]]

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In 1929, the company introduced its first aircraft engine,Strohl, Daniel in Hemmings Classic Car, December, 2008, "Powerful As The Nation", pg 43: "...by the end of 1905. According to Continental's own history, the company also began aircraft engine development at about the same time, rolling out the 45hp Model O four-cylinder L-head engine about 1906 or 1907.",. a seven-cylinder radial designated as the A-70, with a displacement of 543.91 cu in (8.9 L) that produced {{convert|170|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}}. In August 1929, the Continental Motors Company formed the Continental Aircraft Engine Company as a subsidiary to develop and produce its aircraft engines.Leyes, p. 87.

As the Great Depression unwound, 1930 saw the company introduce the {{convert|37|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} A40 four-cylinder engine. A follow-on design, the {{convert|50|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} A50 was introduced in 1938 and was used to power the Taylor Cub and derivative Piper Cub. As the Second World War started in 1939 Continental commenced building aircraft engines for use in British and American tanks.Borth, Christy. Masters of Mass Production, pp. 63-5, Bobbs-Merrill Company, Indianapolis, IN, 1945.Herman, Arthur. Freedom's Forge: How American Business Produced Victory in World War II, pp. 96-100, 126, 200, Random House, New York, New York, 2012. {{ISBN|978-1-4000-6964-4}}. Continental formed Continental Aviation and Engineering (CAE) in 1940 to develop and produce aircraft engines of over {{convert|500|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}}. Continental ranked 38th among United States corporations in the value of wartime production contracts.Peck, Merton J. & Scherer, Frederic M. The Weapons Acquisition Process: An Economic Analysis (1962) Harvard Business School p.619

During the late 1930s, early 1940s the Gray Marine Motor Company adapted Continental engines for maritime use. On 14 June 1944 the company was purchased by Continental for US$2.6 million. John W. Mulford, the son of one of Gray's founders was appointed general manager of Gray by Continental. Gray's continued to make marine engines in the post-war period until its closure by Continental in about 1967.[http://www.gasenginemagazine.com/farm-shows/gray-marine-engines-history.aspx A Brief History of the Gray Marine Motor Company], Gas Engine MagazineGrayson, Stan. Engines Afloat, Vol. II (Marblehead, MA: Devereaux Books, 1999), p.116.

During the 1950s, the A-65 was developed into the more powerful {{convert|90|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} C-90 and eventually into the {{convert|100|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} O-200. The O-200 powered a very important airplane design milestone: the Cessna 150. By the 1960s turbocharging and fuel injection arrived in general aviation and the company's IO-520 series came to dominate the market.{{fact|date=May 2024}}

In 1965, Ryan Aeronautical acquired a 50% stake in Continental Motors.Leyes, Richard A., and William A. Fleming, The History of North American Small Gas Turbine Aircraft Engines, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, 1999: p.143 {{ISBN|1-56347-332-1}}

In 1969, Teledyne Incorporated acquired Continental Motors, which became Teledyne Continental Motors (TCM).Gunston, p. 225. That same year, the Continental Tiara series of high output engines were introduced, although they were dropped from the line after 1978. The company brought the TSIO-520-BE for the Piper PA-46 to market in 1984 and it set new efficiency standards for light aircraft piston engines. Powered by a liquid-cooled version of the IO-240, the Rutan Voyager was the first piston-powered aircraft to circumnavigate the world without refueling in 1986.{{fact|date=May 2024}}

NASA selected Continental to develop and produce GAP in 1997, a new {{convert|200|hp|abbr=on}} piston engine to operate on Jet-A fuel. This was in response to 100-octane aviation gasoline becoming less available as a result of decreased demand, due to smaller turboprop engines becoming more prevalent.

In 2008, Teledyne Continental's new president, Rhett Ross announced that the company was very concerned about future availability of 100LL avgas and as a result would develop a diesel engine in the {{convert|300|hp|abbr=on}} range for certification in 2009 or 2010.{{cite web|url = http://www.avweb.com/eletter/archives/avflash/1054-full.html|title = Teledyne Continental Plans Certified Diesel Within Two Years|access-date = 2008-02-18|last = AvWeb Staff|date=February 2008}} By the fall of 2009 the company was feeling the effects of the economic situation and the resulting reduced demand for aircraft engines. The company announced that it would close its plant for two one-week periods in October 2009 and January 2010. Salaried employees would move to a four-day work week with one week vacations for Thanksgiving and Christmas, with the aim "to protect as much of our valuable employee base as possible".{{cite web|url = http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/tcm_closure_shutdown_continental_engine_employee_customer_201253-1.html|title = TCM Announces Temporary Plant Closures, More |access-date = 2009-10-05|last = Pew|first = Glenn|date=October 2009}}

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On 14 December 2010, Continental's parent Teledyne announced that Teledyne Continental Motors, Teledyne Mattituck Services, and its general aviation piston engine business would be sold to Technify Motor (USA) Ltd, a subsidiary of AVIC International, for US$186 million in cash. AVIC is a Chinese state-owned aerospace company. In May 2011, the transaction was reported as complete and the company renamed Continental Motors, Inc.{{Cite news|url =http://www.avweb.com/avwebbiz/news/China_Lays_Out_Its_GA_Plan_204585-1.html|title =China Lays Out Its GA Plan|access-date = 5 May 2011|last = Niles|first = Russ|date=May 2011| work = AvWeb}}

On 23 July 2013 the company bought diesel aircraft engine manufacturer Thielert from bankruptcy for an undisclosed sum. Thielert will become an operating division of Continental and will be renamed Technify Motors GmbH.{{cite news|url = http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/Continental-Buys-Thielert-Aircraft-Engines220183-1.html|title = Continental Buys Thielert Aircraft Engines|access-date = 14 July 2013|last = Bertorelli|first = Paul|date = 23 July 2013| work = AVweb}}

In 2015, Continental purchased Danbury Aerospace, which included ECi (Engine Components International) and PMA (Precision Machined Airparts). ECi had been supplying aftermarket engine parts since 1943; the merger reduced third-party manufacturers of Continental engine rebuild parts. ECi's Titan engines were modern non-certified engines competing with Lycoming's Thunderbolt. These were eventually rebranded as the Continental Titan.{{Cite web |title=Continental Buys ECI |author=Paul Bertorelli |work=AVweb |date=4 May 2015 |access-date=17 March 2022 |url= https://www.avweb.com/ownership/continental-buys-eci/}}{{Cite web |title=Continentals ECi Buy: Will It Spike Prices? - Aviation Consumer |author= |work=Aviation Consumer |date=3 November 2015 |access-date=17 March 2022 |url= https://www.aviationconsumer.com/industry-news/continentals-eci-buy-will-it-spike-prices/ |quote=“In the simplest form, this comes down to the economics of supply and demand. There were only three sources for new cylinders for Continental engines, including Continental’s own factory cylinders, Millenium cylinders from Superior and ECi. It’s a narrow market and when you take one of the supply sources out, a constant demand will likely drive prices up,” said Thomas Dunn, RAM’s director of marketing. }}{{Cite web |title=Mobile's Continental Motors to acquire Danbury Aerospace ops in San Antonio |author=Kelli Dugan |work=al |date=5 May 2015 |access-date=17 March 2022 |url= https://www.al.com/business/2015/05/mobiles_continental_motors_to.html}}

In March 2019 the company name was changed from Continental Motors, Inc. to Continental Aerospace Technologies.{{cite web|url = http://flash.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/Continental-Motors-Gets-a-New-Name-232499-1.html|title = Continental Motors Gets a New Name|access-date = 15 March 2019|last =Bertorelli |first = Paul|work = AVweb|date = 29 March 2019}}

In March 2022, Karen Hong was named as the company's president and CEO, replacing Robert Stoppek. Hong had previously served as the interim CEO and chief financial officer (CFO).{{cite web|url= https://www.avweb.com/ownership/engines/continental-aerospace-technologies-names-new-ceo/|title= Continental Aerospace Technologies Names New CEO|access-date= 18 March 2022|last= O'Connor|first= Kate|work= AVweb|date= 17 March 2022|archive-url= https://archive.today/20220318111400/https://www.avweb.com/ownership/engines/continental-aerospace-technologies-names-new-ceo/?MailingID=853|archive-date= 18 March 2022|url-status= live}}

File:Continental A40 l.jpg

File:Rolls-Royce Continental O-300.JPG

File:ContinentalW-670.jpg

File:Teledyne-Continental J69.jpg

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• {{cite book |last= Foss|first= Christopher F.| title= Jane's Pocket Book of Modern Tanks and Armored Fighting Vehicles|year= 1974|publisher= Collier Books|id= 73-15286|pages= 45–49}}
• {{cite book |last= Gunston |first= Bill |title= World Encyclopedia of Aero Engines, 5th Edition |year= 2006 |publisher= Sutton Publishing Limited |location= Phoenix Mill, Gloucestershire, England, UK |isbn= 0-7509-4479-X }}
• {{cite book|last= Leyes II |first= Richard A. |author2=William A. Fleming |title= The History of North American Small Gas Turbine Aircraft Engines |publisher= Smithsonian Institution |location= Washington, DC |year= 1999 |isbn= 1-56347-332-1 }}

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{{Commons category|Continental aircraft engines}}

• {{Official website|http://continentalmotors.aero}}

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Category:Companies based in Mobile, Alabama

Category:Aircraft engine manufacturers of the United States

Category:Manufacturing companies established in 1929

Category:American companies established in 1929

Category:1929 establishments in Alabama

Category:Continental aircraft engines

Category:Manufacturing companies based in Alabama