>> so in reedley the unemployment rate got up to 33%. >> reporter: town manager nicole ziba says the town's economy rose and well with the industry. you need you needed to make a radical decision. >> i say desperation breeds innovations. >> reporter: a few years ago she applied for and won a technology grant. she used it to buy four electric planes. there are 70 in the world and you have four here in reedley. >> we have four which means we have the largest concentration of production all electric aircraft not only in the nation, but in the world. >> reporter: she planned to use them to start a low-cost pilot training program, but instead they attracted the attention of aerospace giant boeing, which donated two flight simulators to the local school district in hopes of stoking an early passion for flying. >> the goal was could we pull our families out of poverty by showing them careers in aviation, which sounds a little strange except if you know the industry crisis that's brewing in aviation. >> across this next 15 years, we're going see literally half of the airline pilots currently

reedley was a busy training grounds for pilots during world war ii.ployment rate got up to 33%. >> town manager said her community's economy rose and fell with the agriculture industry. >> you need to make a radical decision. >> i say desperation breeds innovation. >> she applied for and won a technology grant. she used it to buy four electric planes. >> there are 70 in the world and you have four of them here in reedley. >> we have four. which means we have the largest concentration of production on electric aircraft not justin nation but the world. >> she planned to use them to start a low cost pilot training program but instead they attracted the attention of aerospace giant boeing widow natured simulators to schools. >> the goal was could we pull our families out of poverty by showing them careers in aviation which sounds strange but if you know the aviation crisis that's brewing. >> we need to replace half the pilots. >> that crisis prompted john johnson to start the flight science degree program. >> we're the only state school in california that

the town of reedley recently on the verge of bankruptcy now has a new partnership with boeing. if you years ago released town manager applied for and won a technology grant. she bought a for electric planes and plans to start a low- cost the pilot training program. that attracted the attention of the aerospace giant. boeing donated to flight simulators to the local school district. in hopes of stoking an early passion for flying. >>> the gold was could we pull our families out of property by showing them careers in aviation which sounds a little strange except if you know the industry crisis that is brewing in aviation. >>> across the next 15 years we will see literally half of the airline pilots currently flying retire. we have to replace half of them. >>> the local junior college is offering a flight science degree that includes low cost or no cost flying lessons. >>> important to expose children at a young age especially with a flight simulators? >>> it is crucial. i did not know what i wanted to do coming out of high school. when i started flying disseminators is change my