Aviation Meteorology Committee
Job
Opportunities for Aviation
Meteorologists
Many
of the questions we receive relate to
job opportunities for aviation meteorologists. Aviation weather
services in the United States are provided by variety of organizations
including the National Weather Service, the military (Air Force,
Marines, and Navy), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and
private companies. You'll see this diversity reflected in the varied
backgrounds of the Aviation Committee Members. These services are
provided by individuals with a wide variety of education and
experiences including meteorologists (see
AMS
guideline
for a definition of a meteorologist), military weather specialists, and
specialists in other fields requiring unique aviation weather
knowledge. These positions and typical job prerequisites are listed
below.
Meteorologist
and Military Weather
Specialist Positions
- National Weather Service (NWS): NWS
meteorologists provide forecasts from the Aviation Weather Center,
Center Weather Service Units at FAA facilities, and the local Weather
Forecast Offices.
Requirements
for a National
Weather Service or other Government Meteorologist (1340 Series).
Degree in meteorology, atmospheric science, or other natural science
major that included at least:
- 24 semester
(36 quarter) hours
of credit in meteorology/atmospheric
science including a minimum of 6 semester hours of atmospheric dynamics
and thermodynamics, 6 semester hours of analysis and prediction of
weather systems (synoptic/mesoscale), 3 semester hours of physical
meteorology, 2 semester hours of remote sensing of the atmosphere
and/or instrumentation.
- 6 semester
hours of physics,
with at least one
course that includes laboratory sessions.
- 3 semester
hours of ordinary
differential equations.
- 9 semester
hours of course work
appropriate for a physical
science major in any combination of three or more of the following:
physical
hydrology, statistics, chemistry, physical oceanography, physical
climatology, radiative transfer, aeronomy, advanced thermodynamics,
advanced
electricity and magnetism, light and optics, computer science.
- Military (US Air
Force, Marines, and
Navy): The military provides opportunities for both enlisted weather
specialists and officer meteorologists or aerographers. Officers will
enter the service with a Bachelor's degree while enlisted personnel
selected as weather specialists will undergo training at Keesler AFB
Mississippi (in all branches of service) prior to assignment to a
military weather facility. Some branches of the military will take
college graduates who are not meteorologists and initially assign them
to a school that will provide education equivalent to a B.S. in
meteorology.
Requirements
for a Military
Meteorologists and Weather Specialists
-
- Enlisted
weather specialists
will require a high school diploma and demonstrate an aptitude for the
weather career field in military entrance exams.
- Private
Companies: Provides aviation
weather forecasts for companies, the military, or government, and also
provides weather observing services at some stations. Some airlines
hire their own weather forecasters while others contract with private
meteorology companies.
Typical
Private Meteorology
Eduation and Experience Requirements for
Weather Forecasters
- A Bachelors of Science degree in
Meteorology or the completion of military forecaster’s
school.
- General skills in working with
Windows and PCs. Typing skills are often identified. Unix workstation
knowledge is a plus.
- Good oral communication skills
- Some practical experience in
aviation forecasting is usually preferred.
Typical
Private Meteorology
Eduation and Experience Requirements for
Weather Observers
- Usually have
completed a
Department of Defense (DoD) training program for weather or an
equivalent National Weather Service (NWS) program
- Some
experience with a DoD,
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), or NWS agency taking, recording,
encoding, and disseminating surface weather observations using METAR
code is desired.
- Experience
with observing and
communications equipment is also desired.
Non-Meteorologist
Aviation Positions
Requiring Specialized Weather Knowledge
- Federal Aviation Administration
(FAA) Air Traffic Control Specialists: "An air traffic control
specialist (ATCS) is often described as one who provides for the safe,
orderly, and expeditious flow of air traffic ." Flight Service Station
Controllers, in particular, receive training in the interpretation and
use of weather information for pre-flight and in-flight support to
aviation. Flight Service Station personnel provide weather briefing
services for pilots in addition to handling flight planning. Visit
the FAA
web site to learn about this career and the job
prerequisites.
- Airline
Dispatchers: "Airline
Dispatchers are airman certified by the FAA. Along with the pilot in
the aircraft, the dispatcher is responsible for the safe operation of
the aircraft." Dispatchers gather and interpret weather information
provided to the crew and use that information for scheduling aircraft.
Airline dispatchers are frequently an airlines primary source of
weather information for aircrews. The
Airline Dispatchers
Federation home page has more information about this career.
Last Updated: 30 Oct 2007