A pneumatic or air-filled tire consists of an inner core which is sealed airtight and filled with pressurized air. Normally, a tread made with reinforced steel belting or other type of materials, provides the contact area with the road and seals this inner core.
The tire will remain inflated with all the weight of the vehicle resting on it, because the air pressure within the tire is greater than atmospheric air pressure. The pressure of the air inside the tire provides resistance against forces that attempt to deform the tire. When the tire hits bumps in the road, this gives the tire a slight degree of a cushioning effect. If you have experienced taking a ride in an old-fashioned carriage that had wooden wheels, you understand how big of a difference a set of pneumatic tires makes.
Of course, there are some drawbacks to pneumatic tires. Like for example in high-performance situations or highly dangerous applications, these tires can suffer a puncture and this would lead to a total failure. The consequence of a blowout at high speeds can lead to a serious car crash. Military planners have to take into account tires getting blown out by shooting of guns or explosion shrapnel. A vehicle crew's worst nightmare is becoming trapped within a fire zone because of all of their tires becoming flat. Airless tires evidently don't suffer from these problems and thus, might be more suitable in some applications.
Pneumatic tires have another problem involving variations in air pressure and tire performance. Lower tire pressure can create increased comfort and improved traction. This is due to the fact that tires flatten a little and more tread is touching the road. The air pressure in the tire works to maintain the "up and down" stiffness as well as maintain the lateral stiffness of the tire. Hence, less air pressure allows the sidewalls of the tires to flex. Unfortunately, this results in poor handling. In an airless tire, the stiffness in those two dimensions is independent.
There are other issues with air pressure. Customers are notoriously undependable when it comes to maintaining correct air pressure. Tires which have wrong air pressure can lead to dangerous situations. It is vital to bear in mind that pneumatic tires are also prone to temperature changes, which could be responsible for changing the internal pressure of the tire. It is very vital to consider the kind of settings you will be needing your equipment to function in so that you could regularly inspect the tires and keep the machine as safe as possible.