Council is working to attract a $20 million Qantas pilot academy to the city, which would train up to 500 pilots a year. Qantas has already indicated it wants the training academy to be located in a regional area.

Cr Mohr said council had already written to council about the proposal and was meeting with a representative in two weeks. Council will also contact Member for Dubbo Troy Grant and Federal Member for Parkes Mark Coulton about the proposal.

There was already a strong history between Dubbo and Mr Joyce, Cr Mohr said.

“He said it was a bloody great place and he only flew in and the next day he went to the zoo, but those were his words ‘it’s a bloody great place’. And for a bloke that had been here for five or ten minutes to have that view, it’s pretty remarkable,” Cr Mohr said.

Cr Mohr said council needed to have the best possible plan for the proposal. The general manager will develop a business case for Qantas on the development facility.

“We have an airport out there that I’ve always said is an untapped gold mine. Instead of just slugging people with fees that travel on airlines we’ve gone about to have all these other people using the airport to ease the burden on the traveller,” Cr Mohr said.

Councillor Vicki Etheridge said council needed to “go out there and be aggressive and tell them this is the place they need to be”. While, councillor John Ryan said he believed the facility could spark farther ideas council hadn’t even thought of yet.

It would show large corporate businesses had confidence in Western NSW, said councillor David Grant.

Councillor Dayne Gumley said the Qantas Group Pilot Academy would bring money into the community.

“To have 500 pilots come here will have an enormous ripple effect on larger businesses in the community but also smaller suppliers will be given a big boost,” he said.

“I don’t see why we couldn’t get it here. We’re a prime location being in the middle of NSW at the intersection of all these highways and the reality is it’s a great place.”

Qantas has also announced a reduced number of flights to regional areas, including eight less flights to Dubbo City Regional Airport.

The reduction might not be a bad thing, Cr Mohr said.

“By streamlining their flights which companies do from day to day, the same way council streamlines their business, it will make it more cost effective to the person at the other end of the spectrum. So in saying that it’s probably not a bad idea,” the councillor said.