The movie revolves around a terrorist plan to hijack the presidential aircraft (Air Force One) and use the President and his family as bargaining chips in the terrorists' demand for the release of their comrade. Viewers are given a detailed tour of the aircraft and its systems — both real and fictional.
The film also stars Glenn Close as the Vice President and Gary Oldman as a Russian terrorist.
It seems a little implausible that a US President could be such a gung-ho action hero as Ford's character, but perhaps no more so than the plots of most action movies.