Definition
A description of a rivet hole or fastener hole that has been drilled completely through both sheets of metal being joined, in a single drilling operation, so the holes in the two pieces are perfectly aligned. This is standard practice in aircraft sheet-metal work to ensure that rivets or bolts pass cleanly through both layers without misalignment, elongation, or gaps between the holes.
Plain English
The drill went all the way through both metal sheets at once, so the holes line up exactly.
Context Anchor
Used in aircraft sheet-metal repair and assembly when describing how rivets, bolts, or similar fasteners join overlapping metal parts.
Why Pilots Care
When two pieces of metal are drilled together in a single pass, the rivet seats properly and the joint develops its full strength. Holes drilled separately almost never line up perfectly, which weakens the joint and can lead to cracks or rivet failure under stress.
Intuition Check
Do not read this as merely touching both pieces or partly entering them. In this context, it means the fastener goes completely through both metal pieces.
Example Sentence 1
After clamping the skin to the rib, the mechanic drilled the pilot hole, making sure it passed through both pieces of metal in one pass.
Example Sentence 2
Inspect the hole to confirm the bolt has passed through both pieces of metal before torquing the nut.