If you’ve ever stared up at a commercial jet taking off and wondered what holds those sleek wings, fuselage, and engine nacelles together, you’re not alone. As a rivet supplier who’s spent the last 12 years working with aircraft maintenance teams, MRO shops, and even small plane builders, I get questions about this all the time. The truth is, aircraft rivets aren’t just generic fasteners you grab at a hardware store—they’re precision-engineered parts, and picking the wrong type can mean big problems. Let’s break down the main ones we supply, why they matter, and how we make sure we stock exactly what the industry needs. Rivet
First, let’s start with the basics: why rivets instead of screws or bolts on planes? Aircraft deal with constant vibration, extreme temperature swings (think -60°F at 35,000 feet vs. 100°F on the tarmac in summer), and repeated pressure changes from takeoff and landing. Screws can work loose over time, and bolts need nuts that can back off too—rivets form a permanent, tight bond that won’t give up. That permanence is key for safety. But not all rivets are created equal. Here are the four core types we move most, and when each gets used.
Let’s kick off with solid rivets, the OG of aircraft fasteners. These are the ones you’ve seen in old war movies, lining the fuselage of vintage planes like the P-51 Mustang. Solid rivets are made from soft, ductile metals like 2117 aluminum alloy (that’s “dural” to most folks in the shop) or 5056 aluminum, sometimes even titanium for high-stress areas. How do they work? You drill a hole through two or more sheets of aluminum (or carbon fiber, though rivets are less common for that), slide the rivet in, then use a bucking bar on one side and a rivet gun on the other to smash the tail end into a second head. That deforms the rivet, clamping the sheets together tight.
Solid rivets are still super common for non-critical areas: interior panels, lower wing skins that don’t take much stress, and fuselage sections that are easy to access. The downside? You can’t remove them without drilling them out, which means if a part needs replacement, you have to redo all the rivets around it. That’s where blind rivets come in, and they’re the workhorse for most modern jets.
Blind rivets (sometimes called pop rivets, though that’s a hobbyist term) are a game-changer. These only need access to one side of the joint, which is perfect for areas where you can’t fit a bucking bar—like the inside of a hollow fuselage panel, or engine cowlings that are sandwiched between two parts. How do they work? There’s a mandrel (a thin metal stem) running through the rivet body. You slide the rivet into the hole, then pull the mandrel with a special tool until it snaps, expanding the tail of the rivet body against the back of the sheet. That creates the same clamping force as a solid rivet, but you don’t need two people or a big gun to install it.
We stock a ton of blind rivet types here: for example, Countersunk Head Blind Rivets, which sit flush against the surface so they don’t create drag (huge for commercial jets, where even a tiny bit of drag adds up to millions in fuel costs a year). Then there’s Structural Blind Rivets, like Huck bolts? No, wait—Huck is a brand, but the structural blind rivets we carry are the kind used for high-stress spots, like wing leading edges. Those are made from stronger alloys, like 2024 aluminum or steel, and can handle way more load than regular pop rivets. A lot of MRO shops prefer these because they’re faster to install than solid rivets for panels that need frequent access.
Next up, drive rivets, which are a middle ground between solid and blind. Drive rivets are short, usually made of aluminum or steel, and have a pre-formed head on one end. You slide them into a hole, then use a hammer and a specially sized punch to drive the other end out, flaring it into a second head. They’re simpler than solid rivets because you only need access to one side, and stronger than standard blind rivets, so they’re used for medium-stress areas like floor beams or non-critical control surfaces. We don’t move as many drive rivets as solid or blind, but they’re a staple for small plane builders who work on a tight budget and don’t have a ton of fancy installation tools.
Last but definitely not least, lockbolts (sometimes called tension rivets). These are the heavy hitters, used for the most critical joints on an aircraft: wing spars, engine mounts, and fuselage frames that take the brunt of flight stress. Lockbolts are made from high-strength materials like alloy steel or titanium, and they’re installed with a specialized tool that pulls the mandrel until a specific tension is reached—way more precise than a regular rivet. Once set, the mandrel locks into place, so it can’t loosen from vibration. The big thing about lockbolts is that they’re re-usable? Wait no—wait, no, some are, but for aircraft, most are permanent. Wait, no, let me correct that: lockbolts (also called swaged-lock rivets) have a grooved body that, when installed, the swelled tail locks into the groove, creating a vibration-resistant bond. You can’t remove them without drilling, but that’s okay because these joints never need to be taken apart.
Now, let’s talk about what we actually consider when picking rivets for a job, because it’s not just type—material matters too. Aluminum rivets are the most common because they’re light, cheap, and corrosion-resistant (well, more corrosion-resistant than steel, at least). But aluminum isn’t strong enough for high-stress areas, so we use titanium for that—titanium is light, super strong, and handles extreme temperatures way better than aluminum or steel. The downside? Titanium rivets are more expensive, and they need special installation tools because they’re harder than aluminum, so you can’t just use a regular rivet gun on them. We also carry corrosion-resistant steel rivets for areas that might get exposed to de-icing fluid or salt, like the undersides of wings on planes that fly over oceans.
Wait, a common mistake we see new builders make: mixing materials. Like, putting an aluminum rivet next to a steel rivet in the same joint. That causes galvanic corrosion, right? Because two different metals touching create a small electric current, which eats away at the weaker one. It’s a slow process, but over hundreds of flights, that can weaken the joint. That’s why we always tell customers to stick to the same material for a given assembly—if it’s aluminum, all rivets in that panel should be aluminum. If it’s steel, all steel. We even sell anti-corrosion washers for when you have to use a different metal, though we’d rather you not.
Another thing: rivet size. You can’t just grab any size rivet. The rule of thumb in the aircraft world is that the rivet’s length should be 3 times the thickness of the sheets you’re joining. So if you’re putting two 1/8-inch aluminum sheets together, you need a rivet that’s 3/8-inch long. Too short, and the head won’t form properly. Too long, and you’ll have extra stem sticking out after installation, which can cause drag or catch on things. We have a size chart on our website (wait, no, the user said don’t add links—just tell them we have size info) so you can figure out the right size fast, no guesswork.
Now, let’s get real about the supply side. A lot of people ask why aircraft rivets are so expensive compared to hardware store rivets. It’s not just the metal—aircraft rivets have to meet strict FAA standards. Every batch has to be tested for strength, ductility, and corrosion resistance, and we have to keep traceability records for every single batch. That means if a rivet ever fails (which is super rare, but it happens), we can track exactly where it was used. That’s non-negotiable for aviation. We don’t sell “generic” rivets—all our stock is FAA-approved, and we can provide certification for every order.
So who uses what? Commercial airlines stick mostly to blind rivets for most panels, but use lockbolts for wing and engine parts. Small piston planes like Cessnas use a mix of solid rivets for older builds and blind rivets for repairs. MRO shops are our biggest customers—they need fast turnaround, so they rely on our stock of common sizes so they don’t have to wait a week for a special order. We also work with aerospace startups building electric small planes, which are pushing for lighter rivets that still hold up to battery vibration—we’re testing new aluminum-lithium rivets with them right now.
If you’re a small plane builder, an MRO tech, or someone working on a new aircraft project, you probably have questions about which rivet is right for your job. We’ve been doing this long enough to help—no jargon, no confusing tech sheets, just straight talk about what works for your specific application. We stock all the types I talked about today, in every size and material, and we can ship same-day for urgent orders.
If you’re looking to source aircraft rivets that are FAA-approved, come with full traceability, and priced fairly for your project, reach out to us. We’re here to help you pick the right rivet, avoid common mistakes like galvanic corrosion or wrong size, and make sure your joints are safe.
Battery Car DC Relay References
- Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Advisory Circular 43.13-1B, Acceptable Methods, Techniques, and Practices – Aircraft Inspection and Repair
- Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) Standard AIA-N87/1, Specification for Aircraft Rivets
- Rivet Technology for Aerospace Applications, Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME), 2021 Edition
Zhejiang Aokai Electric Co., Ltd.
Zhejiang Aokai Electric Co., Ltd. is your best source for the high quality rivet with CE certification. We have been one of the largest rivet manufacturers and suppliers in China since our establishment in 2008. Welcome to contact our factory for the products.
Address: No.166 Xiangbai Road, Huxi Industrial, Yueqing, China.
E-mail: akcontactor@aokai.com
WebSite: https://www.ak-contactor.com/
