The city missed out to Toowoomba last year when the Queensland bid was announced as the site of a Qantas Group Pilot Academy, the first of two regional bases.

On Friday the airline said a bid from Dubbo and six other centres were "all still under consideration for the second academy site with a decision expected to be made soon".

Qantas provided the update as it opened the application process for the first academy.

Budding pilots from western NSW and across Australia are being encouraged to consider the path.

Qantas has appointed Flight Training Adelaide (FTA) as the training provider for the Toowoomba site, in a partnership that will see it extend its reach to Queensland.

FTA will bring a mix of modern single and twin-engine aircraft with glass cockpits to support the training with a mentoring program that will involve of some of the Qantas Group's most senior pilots.

Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce said the academy was gearing up to start training the next generation of Australian pilots.

"Qantas has a proud history for having some of the best pilots in the world," he said.

"We want to attract passionate young men and women to learn from the best, to become the best.

"More than 22,000 people have so far registered their interest in the academy so we expect there to be some exceptional talent amongst them putting their hand up to commence their pilot training.

"The Toowoomba site will be a world-class training school for future pilots, not just for the Qantas Group but for the broader industry, too.

"We look forward to welcoming the first students to the academy later this year.

"We're conscious there are several regional cities still waiting to hear whether they have been successful as the home of our second academy and we really appreciate their patience, as we focus on getting the first site to this stage."

For more information visit qantas.com/pilotacademy