Was wondering why solid rivets in the wing vs pop rivets

[way_up_north]

Just curious...

I own a sonex set of plans and a zenith set..plus my bearhawk..

those other manufactures do the planes with pop rivets and fly at the same speeds...why flush rivets in the bearhawk wing?....I thought you only get the benefit of flush rivets at over 200mph

[Chris In Milwaukee]

We had a nice conversation about this in 2007 in the "old Bearhawk group". Here's a link to the conversation:

https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/...s/topics/67837

Interesting stuff in there. Perhaps not all the answers you're looking for, but good conversation.

Also, a unique view on pulled rivets from Budd Davisson:

https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Bearhawk/conversations/topics/61669

[Battson]

Solid flush rivets are stronger for a given hole size right?
They are MUCH cheaper to buy, that I know for sure. They are also simpler and more traditional, plus they look a lot better when finished.

So all in all, to my eye solid flush rivets tick basically every box which the Bearhawk is about. Strong, simple, cost effective, good looking.

[Clint B]

I was looking a Budd Davison's comments on the pop rivets and completely understand and agree with what he said...however, one sort of gets the impression that if you use a pop rivet, its going to loosen up eventually due to the 3 flat spots in a hole that is drilled by a bit.
A few years ago I helped a good friend who's a paraplegic get into a zenith 701 as he wanted something bush capable.
That thing rattles and shakes to some extent any time it's flying. If your in any kind of slip or high AOA, the side skins shake VOILENTLY!
Its sortof unnerving the first time you fly one. Except for a few solid rivets in the spar, they are all pops of one variety or another as far as I know. I've not heard of anybody having issues with loose rivets.
All that said, I would still agree that a solid rivet is superior in every way except in time savings and ease of use.