the years
You've probably heard of the Kingston
Trio, the Three Musketeers, and Moe,
Larry, and Curly.
But how many of you remember the trio
of Gobla, DeCosmo, and Dennis?!
All right...maybe we weren't so famous. But
we were a team! And, in some respects, a lot
like Moe, Larry, and Curly!
For several years Bob Gobla was our pilot
when WYOU had Chopper 22. And it's a
a good bet the late Bob Dennis was the
photographer and I was the reporter on most
of its missions!
Gobla was a super pilot. But he wasn't
a guy to take any chances.
Once, seconds after take off, we heard a
"rapping" sound on the outside of the
cabin. He immediately landed in the
nearest field to find out what was
happening. Gobla checked one side while
Bob Dennis looked at the other. I stayed
put which turned out to be a good thing.
Had I joined the search they never would
had spotted the belt from my trench coat
hanging out side the door where, once
airborne, the wind rapped it against the
chopper!
On another occasion we had just
completed a story at Knoebels Amusement
Park and had started our flight back to
Wyoming Valley.
Bob Gobla asked me if I had done any
of my story on the roller coaster.
I explained that, while I loved flying,
I didn't like roller coasters.
Bob said he understood. It was the "dips"
I didn't like. Then...he did one....in the
chopper!
My stomach left it's usual spot while
Bob Dennis, who was sitting in the back
seat, suddenly looked a little white to me!
I never mentioned roller coasters to
either Bob again!
But, speaking of stomachs, Bob always
knew what restaurants had parking spaces
big enough for a Bell Jet Ranger! Never
did find one with a "Fly Through" though!
Helicopters, of course, eventually got
too expensive for most Television
stations and WYOU's Chopper 22 and
WNEP'S Skycam 16 are both now just
memories.
For me, at least, they're good ones.
I often think of Chopper 22 and
our News trio whenever I hear one
overhead!
And you could say Bob Gobla is still
"getting up there!"
He's celebrating his birthday today!
I hope it's a great one and that all of his..
and your NEWS is good!
I was in the Navy on an aircraft carrier and over in Beirut, one day, they decided something at the airport needed fixing, and being in the engineering department, I was chosen to fly in the helicopter to the airport. that was my first and last helicopter flight. We took off like a plane. The wheels retracted and it felt like a stall. We had a few bounces on landing and then , in the control tower, felt like if you turned your backs on the operators there, you'd be stabbed. Nope, not good vibes or memories.
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