Peter Hermes

Title
Adjunct Assistant Professor
Email
Department
Department of Aeronautics
College
College of Aviation

Office Hours

1500-2100 MST (2200-0400 UTC)

Peter Hermes has more than 50 years of experience as an aviation manager and pilot, primarily in general aviation as a flight instructor, charter pilot, government pilot and federal law enforcement officer. He retired from government service in September 2012 after more than 25 years with the U.S. Customs Service and later U.S. Customs and Border Protection within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

Hermes has an extensive background in airborne law enforcement, including managerial responsibility at one of the busiest and largest airborne law enforcement units in the United States. Career highlights include:

  • Leading operational management of the first application of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) in airborne law enforcement for the U.S. Customs Service in 2003.

  • Serving as DHS headquarters representative in 2004 to working groups tasked with developing airspace security requirements for the National Capital Region and throughout the United States.

  • Establishing guidelines and policy for aviation resource applications for DHS shortly after its formation in 2003, including conducting a UAV utility study.

  • Deriving requirements for the DHS Secure Border Initiative, also known as the “virtual fence,” in 2007.

  • Serving as DHS headquarters team lead for land domain and team member for air domain awareness initiatives in 2011–2012, conducting federal-level assessments of security threats to the U.S. homeland, and compiling a landmark 2012 report presenting the first quantitative risk analysis of U.S. aviation security gaps.

Following his retirement, Hermes returned to frequent flying, piloting Beechcraft Barons and King Airs in support of wildfire suppression in the western United States.

He has been with the university for more than 20 years, teaching graduate courses in aviation/aerospace human factors, system safety and transportation security, as well as undergraduate courses in airborne law enforcement, general security, physical security, homeland security, strategic planning and decision-making, and aviation counterterrorism. He has also served as a committee member on numerous Graduate Capstone Projects, taught the Undergraduate Capstone Course in aviation security, and contributed as an instructor and teaching assistant for Embry-Riddle’s MOOCs on Human Factors, Aircraft Accident Investigation, Maintenance/Repair/Overhaul (MRO), Aviation Maintenance, Small Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (sUAS), and Sustainability in the Aviation and Aerospace Industry. In addition, Hermes has been active in course development and instruction at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Glynco, Georgia.

A licensed pilot and certificated flight instructor, Hermes has logged more than 13,000 hours in over 40 different types of general aviation aircraft, ranging from single-engine trainers to light business jets and turboprops.

Beyond aviation, Hermes has been married to his wife, Carol, for more than 46 years. They have two children: a son who serves as an attorney with the Maricopa County Public Defender’s Office in Arizona, and a daughter who is a social worker in California. In his free time, Hermes enjoys amateur astronomy, cycling and officiating at track and field meets as a certified USA Track & Field masters-level official.

  • M.A.S. - Master of Aeronautical Science in Aviation Aerospace Management and Aviation Aerospace Safety Systems, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
  • M.A. - Master of Arts in Homeland Security, American Public University
  • B.S. - Bachelor of Science in Flight Technology, Western Michigan University
  • Flight Instructor - Federal Aviation Administration
  • Airline Transport Pilot - Federal Aviation Administration
  • Commercial Pilot - Federal Aviation Administration
  • Ground Instructor - Federal Aviation Administration
  • Repairman - Federal Aviation Administration
  • HLSD 280: Pro Skills in Homeland Sec
ASCI 604, Human Factors in Aviation/Aerospace Industry; ASCI 611, Aviation/Aerospace System Safety; ASCI690, Graduate Capstone Project; ASCI 616, Transportation Security; SCTY 310, Introduction to Security; SCTY 410, Physical Security; SCTY 490, Aviation Security Capstone Course; SCTY 430, Counterterrorism for Aviation; ASCI 406, Airborne Law Enforcement; HLSD 360, Strategic Planning & Decision Making in Homeland Security; HLSD 280, ​Professional Skills in Homeland Security
U S Customs Aviation. Air Beat [professional bi-monthly journal of the Airborne Law Enforcement Association], March/April 2002. Man, Machine & Mission: Operational risk management for aviators [two-part series]. Air Beat [professional bi-monthly journal of the Airborne Law Enforcement Association], September/October and November/December 2005.
Department of Homeland Security, US Customs & Border Protection (CBP) (formerly US Customs Service), Tucson Air Branch, P.O. Box 15009, DMAFB, Tucson, AZ 85708 Supervisory Air Interdiction Agent (Associate Field Director), January 15, 2000 to September 30, 2012. Department of Homeland Security, Office of Operations Coordination and Planning, Domains Section CBP Air & Maine Detailee, September 19, 2011  August 31, 2012. Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, Field Operations Academy, Acting Branch Chief, Air & Marine Basic Training, July  November 2008. Department of Homeland Security, US Customs & Border Protection, Secure Borders Initiative (SBInet) Program Management Office (PMO), Mission Engineering Division CBP Air & Maine Liaison, December 2006  November 2007. Department of Homeland Security, Border & Transportation Security (BTS) Directorate, Operations Staff, Aviation and Law Enforcement Liaison, May  December 2004. Department of Treasury, US Customs Service, Tucson Air Branch, P.O. Box 15009, DMAFB, Tucson, AZ 85708, Customs Pilot/Officer, March 29, 1987  January 14, 2000.
Airborne Public Safety Association

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