Relevance. Considering a number of factors, air ambulance is becoming increasingly important, which is a global trend, given the concentration of high-tech treatment methods in large clinics, the development of the “golden hour” standards. Purpose. To establish the advantages and disadvantages in the activity of air ambulance as an independent structure and as a unit of a multidisciplinary hospital. Material and methods: We used data from medical records on the activities of the department of sanitary aviation on the basis of the health center “Vologda Regional Clinical Hospital” for the period from 2015 to 2018. and literary sources. Analytical and statistical methods were used. The work carried out the calculation of extensive indicators. Results and its discussion. In world practice, there are two models of rendering sanitary and aviation assistance - Anglo-American and French-German, practicing a different approach to providing this type of assistance. In the Vologda region, a model has evolved that is close to European - with the use of qualified medical personnel. Switching to a different model of providing aviation medical assistance can cause a number of complex problems. Conclusion. The necessity of taking into account regional peculiarities and specifics of emergency and emergency medical care, including emergency specialized care, is shown