Definition
An ICAO wake turbulence category used by air traffic control for the largest aircraft in service, currently the Airbus A380-800 and the Antonov An-225. Aircraft in this category produce wake turbulence significantly greater than Heavy category aircraft and require larger separation distances behind them.
Plain English
A label ATC uses for the very biggest aircraft, like the A380. They make such strong wake turbulence that other aircraft following them must stay further behind than usual.
Context Anchor
You may hear Super in radio calls or see it in traffic information when air traffic control is handling very large aircraft.
Derivation
From Latin 'super', meaning 'above' or 'beyond'. Used here because these aircraft are above and beyond the existing Heavy category in size and wake effect.
Why Pilots Care
Knowing an aircraft is Super determines the minimum separation required to avoid hazardous wake turbulence encounters during takeoff, approach, and landing.
Intuition Check
Super does not mean “excellent” here. It means a specific very-large-aircraft category used for wake-turbulence spacing and radio identification.
Example Sentence 1
Tower instructed the regional jet to extend downwind for wake turbulence separation behind the A380 Super on final.
Example Sentence 2
The A380 is classified as a Super aircraft due to its size and wake vortex strength.