The Airstream SkyDeck

An upper-deck platform gives this motorhome extra entertaining space and offers a great vantage point for enjoying outdoor sports and other activities.
By Jim Brightly
Technical Editor
May 2004
In late 2002 Airstream Inc. introduced the SkyDeck motorhome. In its own way, the SkyDeck is as revolutionary as the first slideout-equipped motorhomes, and it offers an immeasurable amount of enjoyment to the active outdoor family.
The coach is now in its second model year of production, and no major changes have been made for 2004. Its most distinctive feature continues to be its namesake “” a lofty rooftop patio that is accessible from the interior living area via an elegant residential-style hardwood staircase. The patio is enclosed by an aluminum safety railing and concealed by a fiberglass “streamliner” for travel. The streamliner is the fiberglass rail that runs down each side of the roof. Its main purpose is to conceal the patio furniture and provide better aerodynamics.
SkyDeck’s rooftop patioWhen the motorhome is on the road, it’ll take more than one look to see that it has a rooftop patio, and even then you might not be able to tell. The SkyDeck patio adds only 8 inches of height to a standard coach, allowing the motorhome to retain a normal-sized profile. When the patio is closed up and the coach is rolling, the SkyDeck looks like any other well-designed, well-dressed diesel pusher, with eye-grabbing graphics.
While the SkyDeck is stationary in the raceway infield, in an RV park, or at lakeside, it truly shines. One look tells you it’s different from any other motorhome on the road today. With the touch of two switches, the aluminum safety railing tilts up into place. Designed much like a party pontoon boat, the patio includes cushioned seating, a king-sized sun lounger, a barbecue area with a built-in wet bar, end tables, floor lighting, and holders for beach-style umbrellas. All this luxury almost doubles the floor space of the coach. It also provides a private nook for relaxing outdoors when you’re not entertaining.
SkyDeck patioThe SkyDeck’s marine-grade weatherproof region is revealed in about 30 seconds. When one presses the two switches, hydraulic actuators are engaged, transposing the roof from a streamlined traveler to a spacious rooftop oasis. The area contains seating for at least 15 people and has been engineered by Airstream to withstand the weight.
This 39-foot motorhome is built on the Freightliner XC chassis. It measures 101 inches wide and has a 252-inch wheelbase. Its 330-horsepower Caterpillar diesel engine provides 860 pound-feet of torque at 1,440 rpm “” more than enough performance necessary for moving down the road.
The SkyDeck has a 31,000-pound gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) and a 41,000-pound gross combination weight rating (GCWR). As noted, the patio adds only 8 inches to the coach’s overall exterior height, giving it a traveling height of 12 feet 6 inches.
Interior headroom is 6 feet 6½ inches. The coach has a 105-gallon fresh water tank; a 55-gallon black water tank and a 79-gallon gray water tank; and 154 cubic feet of exterior storage space. The 150-gallon fuel tank can be filled from either side of the coach.
Hardwood staircase of SkyDeck interiorInside the coach, amenities include a 10-cubic-foot refrigerator with ice maker, a 10-gallon gas/electric water heater, two 13,500-Btu ceiling air conditioners, and two furnaces (34,000-Btu and 16,000-Btu). The streetside slideout includes a 74-inch sleeper sofa as well as the galley. A writer’s table on the curb side of the coach doubles as a freestanding dinette.
The base suggested retail price of the SkyDeck is $250,329.
Maybe you enjoy sleeping out under the stars where the breeze cools your brow instead of an air conditioner. Perhaps you would like to have more room to entertain guests, or be able to watch a car race or other sporting competition from a lofty vantage point. Airstream’s SkyDeck motorhome may fit the bill.