Introduction:
Medical aviation in Poland has a glorious history dating back to the interwar period. The entire history of aviation should be distinguished by two periods: before the war, when medical aviation functioned within military structures, and the postwar period when medical aviation, after a break caused by the war, came within civil structures. A common feature of these periods are the tasks performed by the air ambulance. The creation of Polish Medical Air Rescue opens a new page in sanitary aviation, consisting of changes in priorities. The basis of Polish Medical Air Rescue activity is primarily medical emergency, and secondly, medical transport. The emergence of the new unit and changes in international aviation law defining performance and technical requirements for aircraft used in emergency rescue, resulted in the decision to buy new helicopters and a flight simulator for the Polish Medical Air Rescue. Implementation of the equipment exchange programme and pilot’s training process allowed the Polish Medical Air Rescue to undertake a series of organizational and training activities. As a result, a model for use of new rescue helicopters during night operations was created. The possibility of using a rescue helicopter during night operations, including the transport of a patient to a specialist centre, significantly increases the availability of specialized diagnostic and therapeutic services. Key words: emergency medical services, training, analysis, security