Angel Maintenance
President Josiah Bartlet must manage a tense Air Force One landing when a faulty landing-gear indicator forces evasive procedures, while resolving a Colombia recertification and reacting to a friendly-fire tragedy that threaten lives, markets, and his administration's credibility.
Air Force One develops a landing-gear problem en route from Manila, forcing President Josiah Bartlet and his senior staff to juggle an operational crisis, an urgent foreign-policy certification and the political fallout of a friendly-fire tragedy. The episode opens aboard the aircraft when the nose-wheel indicator light fails to illuminate. The flight crew calls an F-16 to get a visual; the Falcon cannot confirm the gear on a moonless night. Andrews Approach orders a left turn and later a planned low fly-by of the tower, and Airlift Ops prepares for the possibility of midair refueling by a KC-10. The operational risk drives the main narrative engine: the White House must keep the situation off the wire, manage an anxious press corps, and keep the President informed so he can complete required actions while airborne.
C.J. Cregg takes primary charge of press control aboard the plane. She crafts a cover story — a runway fuel-spill incursion — to avoid national-security panic and market disruption, then copes with reporters who spot an F-16 on the president’s wing. C.J. shuts off phones, enforces an embargo and later announces the refueling plan to buy time. Will and Larry provide technical help and reconnaissance from staff seats; Will also briefs Bartlet in person on the statutory requirement to recertify Colombia. Bartlet asks Will to research what decertification would trigger, discovers automatic recertification procedures, and reluctantly moves to sign while stranded aloft.
On the ground Leo McGarry and senior staff coordinate political damage control. Leo relays that five U.S. infantrymen died in a friendly-fire accident in Kuhndu when a training strike hit their platoon due to a GPS error. That casualty report intersects with Toby Ziegler’s portfolio: he races to woo Congressman Mark Richardson and the Black Caucus to secure votes for a peacekeeping appropriation. Richardson threatens a publicity stunt—a proposal to reinstate the draft—unless the administration seriously studies his amendment. Toby negotiates tactically, promising debate and a statement from the White House that buys the Black Caucus’ support without committing to a draft.
Josh Lyman handles Capitol Hill consequences. He shepherds the Chesapeake Bay cleanup bill through the Roosevelt Room and wrestles with the political cost of bipartisan outreach. Vulnerable Republican Tom Landis expects credit for the bill; Hill Democrats bristle at handing victories to Republicans. Leo instructs Josh to accept binding targets and a local levy requested by Democratic leaders, but intra-party resentment and committee politics ultimately doom Landis’ hopes for a legacy win. Donna provides operational detail on "Angel" (the Airlift Ops code name for Air Force One) and explains the plane’s tight security and maintenance protocols, underscoring how difficult sabotage would be.
Will and other junior staffers carry quieter personal beats against the crisis. Will, who served in the Air Force Reserve, masks a fear of flying even as he helps brief the President and supports C.J. on the cabin floor. Ed and Larry, working laptop reconnaissance, triumph when the crew recycles the gear and the indicator light finally comes on. C.J. impulsively kisses Ed in relief. Colonel Weiskopf broadcasts clearance for landing and lists what the staff accomplished while airborne: engagement, a birthday and Colombia’s recertification. The plane has logged 22 hours and 13 minutes and 10,700 air miles by that time.
Rather than conclude on a tidy landing, the episode ends on an unresolved note: Andrews Approach reports a strong wind shift and asks Air Force One to abandon its descent and maintain altitude for a further circuit. Bartlet, who has taken responsibility for calling the grieving families and for the Colombia decision, locks himself in his office in evident frustration. The script leaves several tensions partially unresolved—operational uncertainty about a final landing, political fallout from the Kuhndu deaths, and the fragile bargains that secure votes—so the episode emphasizes the burden of command and the interplay of technical crisis management with high-stakes politics. Thematically, the episode contrasts procedural competence (Airlift Ops, C.J.’s press discipline, Leo’s coordination) with moral reckoning (the friendly-fire deaths, the Colombia decision and the draft debate), showing how the White House must contain fear, manage optics and negotiate policy trade-offs while human lives hang in the balance.
Events in This Episode
The narrative beats that drive the story
The episode opens aboard Air Force One, where C.J. and reporters discuss time zones. Colonel Caplan announces an unexpected flight path change due to a "problem on the ground." President Bartlet learns from Leo McGarry about an urgent Colombia recertification deadline requiring an in-person briefing. Colonel Weiskopf then reveals the true, critical issue: a failed nose wheel indicator light, necessitating an F-16 visual inspection. Bartlet tasks C.J. with managing the press to prevent national security panic and market disruption, leading her and Will to craft a cover story about a runway fuel spill. Simultaneously, Josh Lyman works on a bipartisan Chesapeake Bay cleanup bill, facing immediate resistance from Hill Democrats (Segal and Simmel) who oppose granting a victory to a vulnerable Republican. Donna informs Josh about the "fuel spill," but he quickly discerns the true landing gear problem. On the ground, Leo informs Toby Ziegler of a friendly-fire incident in Kuhndu, killing five U.S. infantrymen due to a GPS error, and instructs Toby to counter Congressman Mark Richardson's impending opposition to U.S. involvement. Bartlet confirms the Kuhndu deaths and plans to notify families upon landing, asking Will to brief him on Colombia. C.J., Will, Ed, and Larry scramble to find a distraction for the press as the F-16 approaches.
A light, disoriented exchange among C.J. and the press about time zones is suddenly shattered when Lieutenant Colonel Caplan, over the PA, announces an unexpected left turn and holding vector …
A casual, time-zone banter in the Air Force One press cabin is shattered by a flight-deck announcement; the plane must alter its approach while the President, now in the meeting …
During a cramped, procedural moment aboard Air Force One, Colonel Weiskopf privately informs President Bartlet that the nose-wheel landing-gear indicator failed to illuminate after deploying Hydraulic System One. An F-16 …
A routine policy briefing about recertifying Colombia as a drug‑war partner is violently interrupted by a technical emergency: Air Force One's nose‑wheel indicator failed to light after deploying Hydraulic System …
A technical fault on Air Force One (the landing‑gear locked light failing to illuminate) forces President Bartlet, Leo, and their inner circle into urgent, covert damage control. Leo minimizes the …
While the West Wing improvises a cover story for Air Force One's landing-gear scare, a private whisper detonates a second, graver emergency: reporter Chris pulls C.J. aside with double-confirmation that …
During a Roosevelt Room Chesapeake Bay briefing, Donna drops a terse note about a supposed fuel spill at Andrews that Josh reads aloud — and immediately recognizes as a cover …
During a late Roosevelt Room negotiation, Josh celebrates a bipartisan Chesapeake Bay deal with Republican Tom Landis only to be publicly rebuked by Hill Democrats Segal and Simmel, who warn …
While Josh negotiates a fragile bipartisan win on the Chesapeake Bay cleanup and staff cope with an Air Force One landing delay, Leo drops a bombshell: five U.S. soldiers were …
While Air Force One is in the air, C.J., Will, Ed and Larry feverishly brainstorm any plausible visual — festivals, lights, even 'Wildfire Week' — to explain away something reporters …
Mid-air on Air Force One the staff improvises a visual diversion while the President confronts two harsh facts: five infantrymen killed in a friendly-fire incident and the legally required, in-person …
C.J. and Will attempt to divert the press's attention during the F-16 flyby, with Will concocting a story about a "Festival of Lights" in the Blue Ridge Mountains. This deception quickly fails when reporters spot the F-16 Falcon flying alongside Air Force One. C.J. immediately shuts off press cabin phones and confirms the landing gear problem, embargoing the story due to security and market concerns. Colonel Weiskopf informs Bartlet that the F-16 cannot get a visual due to the moonless night, necessitating a low flyby at Andrews tower and an imminent midair refueling. C.J. announces the refueling to the press, buying more time. On the ground, Leo instructs Josh to incorporate a local levy and binding targets into the Chesapeake bill, aware it will alienate Congressman Landis but satisfy Hill Democrats. Leo also orders a fake fuel spill at Andrews to justify the delay to a wire service reporter, while armed fighter jets escort Air Force One. Toby meets Congressman Richardson, who, after learning of his constituent's death in Kuhndu, proposes reinstating the draft as an amendment to the peacekeeping bill, tying military service to economic disparity.
A terse, high-stakes briefing between President Bartlet and Colonel Weiskopf crystallizes the Air Force One emergency into a concrete — and risky — plan. With no moon to allow a …
After a terse technical briefing in the Air Force One hallway, Colonel Weiskopf tells President Bartlet that darkness prevents a visual gear check and the only practical option is a …
In Leo's office, the technical and political collide: Margaret asks how long Air Force One can stay aloft; Leo admits midair refueling could keep them up for hours but fears …
In Leo's office, political work collides with an unfolding Air Force One emergency. Josh briefs Leo on the Chesapeake bill; Leo insists on inserting a local levy and binding nonpoint-source …
Toby delivers the blunt news that Gunnery Sergeant Harold Dokes, a constituent, was killed in a friendly-fire incident. Rather than dwell in private grief, Congressman Mark Richardson instantly reframes the …
Toby delivers devastating news to Congressman Mark Richardson: a constituent, Gunnery Sergeant Harold Dokes, was killed by friendly fire. The conversation quickly slides from personal grief to a political challenge …
In Leo's outer office a terse handoff—folders exchanged, orders given—shifts abruptly into doubt and reprioritization. Margaret quietly punctures the technical reassurance about runway foam, pointing out it won't absorb impact …
In Leo's outer office, a practical, anxious exchange about runway foam and Air Force One's safety briefly foregrounds the physical stakes, then pivots when Toby arrives with political news: Congressman …
Donna expresses her desire for more meaningful work, feeling "useless" amidst the crisis, and queries Josh about the landing gear. Leo and Margaret discuss the limited effectiveness of foam on the runway for a hard landing. Toby informs Leo that the Black Caucus will support the peacekeeping bill only if the administration backs their draft amendment. Leo dismisses it as a stunt but tells Toby to explore options. On Air Force One, Will delivers a dismal Colombia briefing to Bartlet, detailing increased cocaine production, zero extradition requests, and embezzled anti-drug funds. Bartlet, frustrated, accepts the automatic recertification. Charlie and C.J. notice Will's fear of flying, which he denies, attributing it to "experiencing flying." Josh attempts to push the revenue enhancements for the Chesapeake bill, which Landis recognizes will kill it in committee. Donna informs Josh that the Black Caucus has walked off the Kuhndu bill and explains "Angel Maintenance" procedures, revealing the code name for Air Force One. Bartlet learns the F-16 still can't get a visual, necessitating an hour-long fly-by at Andrews, and decides to call the families of the fallen soldiers. He also tasks Will with researching the consequences of *not* certifying Colombia. Reporters in the press cabin speculate about sabotage, raising C.J.'s anxiety about the situation's national security implications.
President Bartlet receives a grim briefing about Colombia: cocaine production has surged, extradition requests have been ignored, and anti‑drug funds were openly embezzled. Bartlet reacts with wry disbelief and delegates …
After a grim Colombia briefing to President Bartlet, Will slips into the hallway where a casual offer of a beer turns into a quiet interrogation. Charlie bluntly names Will's fear …
In the Roosevelt Room Josh confronts two simultaneous headaches: an operational delay — fuel that won’t be cleared from the runway, jeopardizing Air Force One’s arrival — and a political …
Plans to finesse the Chesapeake Bay bill are abruptly upended when staff learn the Congressional Black Caucus has walked off the Kundu Peacekeeping Bill and Airlift Ops has invoked an …
President Bartlet, simultaneously furious and exhausted, unloads on Leo about the Black Caucus's shifting priorities and what he sees as petty political maneuvering — an intimate moment of wounded pride …
While venting about domestic politics, President Bartlet is interrupted by Colonel Weiskopf with urgent news: Air Force One's landing-gear indicator can't be visually confirmed, forcing a slow fly‑by of Andrews …
In the cramped press cabin reporters escalate a technical landing-gear warning into a full-blown national-security crisis, demanding phone access and immediate answers. C.J. absorbs their hostile speculation—sabotage, hydraulic failure, catastrophic …
In the cramped press cabin, reporters press C.J. for phones and answers as speculation escalates from a landing-gear light to possible sabotage. Tension ratchets through technical jargon about hydraulic leaks …
Leo reluctantly agrees to consider "studying" Congressman Richardson's draft amendment to secure Black Caucus support for the peacekeeping appropriation, despite viewing it as a political stunt. On Air Force One, Will informs Bartlet that decertifying Colombia is impossible due to automatic recertification triggered by the missed deadline and physical delivery requirement, frustrating Bartlet who wants the plane to land. Leo tells Josh that the Chesapeake cleanup bill is dead, attributing its failure to Republican opposition to Landis's collaboration with the White House and Hill Democrats' desire to unseat Landis. Donna provides Josh with a detailed briefing on "Angel Maintenance" procedures, emphasizing the plane's extreme security and maintenance, concluding that a simple light malfunction is the most likely cause, not sabotage. Josh conveys the bill's demise to Landis, who laments the political system's tendency to eliminate moderate voices. Toby presents Richardson with the White House's compromise: a public statement from C.J. promising debate on the draft, which Richardson accepts. Richardson then calls Sergeant Dokes' family, with Toby present. On Air Force One, Ed and Larry announce the landing gear light is on, leading to C.J.'s relieved, impulsive kiss to Ed and her announcement to the cheering press. C.J. and Will discuss the terrifying possibility of a "hard landing" and C.J. reflects on the frequent danger in her life. Colonel Weiskopf announces final clearance for landing, summarizing the flight's duration and the policy achievements made airborne. However, Andrews Approach then reports a strong wind shift, ordering Air Force One to abandon its descent and maintain altitude for another circuit, leaving Bartlet to storm into his office in evident frustration.
On Air Force One, as the crew juggles a landing-gear scare and a mounting friendly-fire crisis, Will delivers a cold legal reality: the President cannot legally decline to recertify Colombia …
President Bartlet erupts in frustrated disbelief when Will informs him that, despite political reasons to withhold recertification for Colombia, a procedural rule automatically recertifies them. The scene moves from policy …
Leo delivers bad news: the Chesapeake cleanup bill will not emerge from Committee, a casualty of partisan maneuvering and Deaver's objection to Landis's closeness with the White House. Josh absorbs …
After Leo delivers the crushing political news that the Chesapeake cleanup bill won't get out of committee, Josh runs into Donna in the basement hallway. Donna — previously sidelined but …
Josh learns from Leo that the Chesapeake cleanup bill has been torpedoed in committee — a casualty of intra-party ambition and pragmatic tradeoffs. He runs the technical theory of sabotage …
A bargaining session collapses into a private moral reckoning when Toby meets Congressman Richardson. Toby begins with the White House's scripted pitch — a C.J. statement traded for Black Caucus …
In Richardson's office a transactional political negotiation collapses into a private reckoning. Toby delivers the White House's pitch — C.J.'s statement traded for Black Caucus votes — but Richardson reframes …
A terse, pivotal beat: C.J., shaken and clinging to the hallway wall, asks how close they are to the tower. Larry announces the gear is down; Ed explains they recycled …
A taut, intimate beat: C.J., physically unsteady from the in-flight crisis, anxiously asks how close they are to the tower. Larry and Ed deliver the small technical miracle — the …
Colonel Weiskopf's calm PA initially releases the cabin's tension: the landing‑gear indicator has cleared and Air Force One is authorized to land, even as he recounts the flight's long miles …
While the press cabin listens to Colonel Weiskopf's upbeat update — landing gear light clear, cleared for Andrews — an unexpected wind shift forces Air Force One to abort its …