China's first domestically-produced large passenger aircraft, the C919, is ready to take its maiden flight in early May, the Shanghai Airport Authority announced on Wednesday.

Airport authorities in Shanghai also announced through Weibo that the C919 has already completed a series of high-speed taxiing tests, the last step before its maiden flight.

The C919, with over 150 seats and a flight range of 4,075 kilometers, is designed to compete with the updated Airbus A-320 and Boeing's new-generation 737, which currently dominate the market.