I believe that this aircraft was owned by Dorado Wings (from the registration mark). This was a Puerto Rico based airline that operated services around the Caribbean.

An overview of the airport on St Thomas showing a number of DC3's, a CV440 an Eastern Airlines Boeing 727 (these and Midway 737's were the only jets to use the airport) and, if you look carefully a C-46. The hangar on the right served as the terminal. The hill in the centre was in the process of being removed to improve airport safety.

It was intersting to watch these aircraft arrive as the runway was only just long enough for them. Interesting to watch, but even more interesting to be on board ! I arrived this day on a Prinair Heron which was far more sedate.

Used by American Airlines on the short runways around the Caribbean, mainly to ferry passengers between St. Thomas and St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Originally delivered to the USAAF as a Douglas C-53 Skytrooper, but later converted to DC-3C with rear passenger door. The control tower, on the side of the hill for height, is visible above the port wing.

Dorado Wings

St. Thomas was notorious among pilots for its short (then 4,658 ft) runway; the B727 was the heaviest type authorised to use it, and even then only in one direction. After the fatal crash of an AA 727 there in 4.76, the airline suspended jet service to the island and introduced Convairliners. This 440 was originally Garuda's PK-GCT in 1.58 and was b/u at Carlsbad in 1993. My arrival at STT was by Eastern - 727.... but I left on a Dak!

First civilianised as NC68179; registered N310K to Dearborn Motors in 1951. Painted in American Airlines colours for a time in 1977 and stored at SJU from 11.85

American used these CV440s for services between the Caribbean Islands, many of which had short runways like the one here at St Thomas