Definition
A riveting technique in which the rivet is installed with the manufactured head on the inside of the structure and the shop head (the head formed during the riveting process) bucked on the outside, opposite to the normal installation method. Used when access to the back side of the work is restricted or when the smoother manufactured head is needed on the structurally critical side.
Plain English
Riveting done backwards — the factory-made head ends up on the inside of the part, and the new head squeezed during installation ends up on the outside. It's used when you can't easily reach the back of the work to do it the usual way.
Context Anchor
Seen in aircraft sheet-metal repair and construction, especially when a technician is installing rivets where normal tool placement is difficult or where a smooth outside surface must be protected.
Derivation
Reverse comes from an old Latin idea meaning to turn back or turn around. Riveting means fastening parts with rivets. The name helps because the normal tool positions are turned around: the support is placed on the factory head, and the driving tool works on the opposite end.
Why Pilots Care
Correct riveting matters because aircraft skin and structure depend on properly installed fasteners. A poorly formed rivet can weaken a repair or allow parts to loosen over time.
Intuition Check
Reverse does not mean removing a rivet or undoing the work. Here it means the usual positions of the riveting tools are reversed.
Example Sentence 1
The mechanic used reverse riveting on the closed section of the wing rib because there was no way to buck the rivets from inside.
Example Sentence 2
Reverse riveting let the crew secure the fuselage skin from inside the cabin area.