Narrative:

I was working local control at andrews tower and also training a developmental. We received word from the front line manager (flm) in charge that there was a tour coming out on the airfield and they would need to get on the runway. When the 'tour' did proceed out onto the airfield that callsign was Airfield2 plus 1. The plus 1 in the vehicle tour was a motor coach. Airfield 2 plus the motor coach were instructed to hold short of runway 19R which was the active runway at the time because of a helicopter inbound for a practice approach. The only other traffic inbound was still approx. 30 miles out. After the helicopter departed we had the airfield 2 plus 1 proceed onto the active runway. They were on the runway for 6 minutes. Also; runway 19R is the only runway at andrews being used for fixed wing operations as the other runway (19L/1R) is restricted because of a sink hole that was discovered below the surface of that runway. The airfield vehicle and motor coach bus also only proceeded onto the active runway and drove down the runway full length; exited the departure end and then returned to their original station. The tour was coordinated only before it happened. I think we were all pretty shocked to see a motor coach as part of this tour and driving down an active runway.I do not feel in any way that air force personnel should make a request to put a bus with people on board onto an active runway. Especially; as it is the only runway that we can use. I felt the situation was not safe for public safety and whoever was on that bus nor for pilots using the runway. I also was concerned about the fact that being as it is the only usable runway at andrews; it is not worth the risk of something going mechanically wrong with that bus and having it possibly break down on the runway or be stuck out on the runway. I definitely recommend that this type of 'tour' never happen nor be approved again. There are times that I feel the air force approves tours and such things without completely thinking about the ramifications of these events. They also do not coordinate some of these events until the last minute.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: An ADW Tower Controller reported something they had not seen before. The airport vehicle plus one wanted permission to enter the runway. Permission was granted. The plus one was a motor coach on a tour of the airport.

Narrative: I was working Local Control at Andrews Tower and also training a developmental. We received word from the Front Line Manager (FLM) in charge that there was a tour coming out on the airfield and they would need to get on the runway. When the 'tour' did proceed out onto the airfield that callsign was Airfield2 Plus 1. The plus 1 in the vehicle tour was a Motor coach. Airfield 2 plus the motor coach were instructed to hold short of RWY 19R which was the active runway at the time because of a helicopter inbound for a practice approach. The only other traffic inbound was still approx. 30 miles out. After the helicopter departed we had the Airfield 2 plus 1 proceed onto the active runway. They were on the runway for 6 minutes. Also; RWY 19R is the only runway at Andrews being used for fixed wing operations as the other runway (19L/1R) is restricted because of a sink hole that was discovered below the surface of that runway. The airfield vehicle and motor coach bus also only proceeded onto the active runway and drove down the runway full length; exited the departure end and then returned to their original station. The tour was coordinated only before it happened. I think we were all pretty shocked to see a motor coach as part of this tour and driving down an active runway.I do not feel in any way that Air Force personnel should make a request to put a bus with people on board onto an active runway. Especially; as it is the only runway that we can use. I felt the situation was not safe for public safety and whoever was on that bus nor for pilots using the runway. I also was concerned about the fact that being as it is the only usable runway at Andrews; it is not worth the risk of something going mechanically wrong with that bus and having it possibly break down on the runway or be stuck out on the runway. I definitely recommend that this type of 'tour' never happen nor be approved again. There are times that I feel the Air Force approves tours and such things without completely thinking about the ramifications of these events. They also do not coordinate some of these events until the last minute.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.