
You only have to check that they are properly inserted from the beginning. They are impossible to open, a useful safety consideration.They are cheap and simple, especially in the volumes needed.The difference might be small for the individual rivet, but it adds up for the whole airframe. If you need the lowest mass for a given strength, again rivets win over screws. After inspection or repair the parts are riveted together again. If the hole is damaged or oversized in the removal process, a larger hole may be drilled and corresponding rivet installed, depending on the conditions present. If the material is too thin or fragile to allow a punch and hammer to be used, the rivet will be drilled out with a drill bit that matches the original size of the rivet hole, with great care taken not to oversize the hole. The rivets are then, in the case of sufficiently thick material, tapped out with a hammer and punch. Great care is taken not to oversize their original hole. The rivets are drilled out with a drill bit which has a diameter slightly smaller than the original hole size. Repairability is adequate when using rivets, especially if you can reach only one side. And since aviation regulation authorities are VERY conservative, the easiest to certify joints are those proven rivet joints. In the past, this could not be done with screws, but only with rivets which grow thicker when set in place.

For optimum shear transmission, the bolt must sit tightly in its hole. Historically, metalworking tools were much less precise than today. Rivets, on the other hand, will be hammered to the right length during manufacture, so only a few sizes are needed to cover all those panel thicknesses.
#Rivet joint airplane skin
Since skin panels and flanges vary in thickness, a LOT of different screw sizes would need to be kept on stock so that every combination of panel thicknesses is covered with a fitting screw which has just the right amount of smooth shank length. A thread would make it much more vulnerable due to the notch effect of the thread. In order to hold up to the maximum possible amount of shear, the rivet needs a smooth surface. The pressure results in friction which is responsible for a considerable part of the load transmitted between two riveted panels.

Rivets need to press the two parts together AND to transmit shear.
