Pulled rivet RV-9

What is the possibility of using pulled rivets to assemble an RV9? I know they are
more expensive but are faster to place. I have also read posts that indicate that
they are as strong as solid rivets.

Rob

The airplane is designed for assembly with solid, bucked rivets. If you use anything else you are completely on your own, engineering-wise. There are many types and styles of pulled rivets and direct substitution in all circumstances is not possible. You should check with the airplane designer, Richard VanGruensven, for his recommendation. I'll give you long odds that he will tell you not to do it. I assume you are concerned with the degree of difficulty involved in setting solid rivets. Don't be, it is easy to learn and very satisfying work. The actual riveting process is a minor part of the time involved in building a kit airplane, and especially minor for a plans built. Most of us savor the actual riveting because it comes at the end of a rather longish process of fitting parts together, drilling, deburring, prepping, priming, and then riveting. Riveting is the fun part. So you won't save much time using pop rivets in my estimation, and you won't get to savor the beautiful rows of perfectly set rivets that you soon will have the skills to produce. And if you persist in building a one of a kind pop riveted RV, I predict that it will have near zero resale value, even if you are able to get it past an airworthiness inspector. Short answer: don't do it.

They weigh more too, so most likely not be able to build a -9 in the sport pilot wieghts. You could consider universal head rivets for some parts if you are trying to be slow (Sport Pilot). That would save you some build time from dimpling.

Are you sure they're faster?

Are you sure they're faster to install? I have followed the drawings rather closely in this regard, so I've done many more smashed rivets than pulled rivets, but I don't think the difference in installation time is very big at all.

You still have to drill, deburr, dimple the holes. You still have to dig into your stash and find the right size rivet. You have to install it in the rivet puller. I don't think it takes any longer to stick the AN470 or AN426 rivet in the hole, and grab either the squeezer or the bucking bar and rivet gun.

In any case, I wouldn't blindly substitute one for the other unless you really know how to analyze a sheet metal joint. And I agree that you'd have a hard time explaining to a a potential buyer or airworthiness inspector that it's just as strong.