air breather
n.— «Hundreds of American support personnel members on the ground in Colombia complemented these elite forces, in addition to a frenzied intelligence-gathering operation located in the United States Embassy here, drawing on intercepts of the rebel group’s radio systems, human intelligence, satellite imaging and “air breathers,” as piloted surveillance aircraft are called in military jargon.» —“U.S. Aid Was a Key to Hostage Rescue in Colombia” by Simon Romero New York Times July 13, 2008. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Trivia time! Where in the United States can you visit Soda City? If you answered Columbia, South Carolina, you’re right! This nickname apparently derives from an old practice of abbreviating Columbia as Cola. The locals then referred to the town as...
