The Bureau of Mines, Helium Field Operations, in Amarillo, Texas, has developed a method for direct measurement of the helium 3 content of air by mass spectroscopy. The helium is preconcentrated by passing samples of air through a charcoal trap at liquid nitrogen temperature. Sample measurements are compared with identically made measurements of gravimetrically prepared standards. The helium 3 content of near-surface atmospheric air is determined to be 7.27¿0.20 parts per trillion by volume (pptv). The accuracy of 0.20 pptv is at the 68% confidence level. The helium 4 content of near-surface atmospheric air has recently been determined at this facility to be 5.2204¿0.0041 parts per million by volume (ppmv). The helium 3/helium 4 ratio for atmospheric helium, RA, is established as 1.393¿10-6 by independent measurements of the separate components.