ncoastwmn wrote:
Thanks for the advise. My plane is already buttoned up and available to
me while I make my decision about what to do. I understand about the
different types of blind rivets and tha's what we I will be replacing
the old ones with, if I don't just replace components. On to
conversations with the last mechanic and finding a second opinion.

Thanks, Linda
N71467

Linda,
Mike has given you excellent advice. On my first annual, I was told
that I had an illegal prop installed. It would be $2000 for a used one
to replace it. I investigated on my own and found out that the prop
wasn't illegal, it just had a part # that was hard to read which caused
the mechanic to look up erroneous information. You definitely need to
determine just what type of rivets are installed. As Mike has pointed
out, Cherrymax and some others are approved for major structural use by
Boeing, Lockheed and most aircraft companies. The Aerostar, an
expensive and high performance twin, came from the factory with
hundreds of them in the wing and elsewhere. Many homebuilts use Q type
pop rivets in major areas like the wing spar and they are holding up
well. If yours are in the wing skins as I suspect, it would not make it
dangerous for most types of pop rivets. The only place where many do
not recommend using them is in the engine inlet.
Like Mike said, don't panic. Check things out.

Bruce
N30464