An air-filled or pneumatic tire is composed on an inner core that is filled with pressurized air and sealed airtight. Usually, a reinforced steel belted tread or other materials, seals this inner core and provides the contact area with the road.
The tire would remain inflated with all the vehicle's weight resting on it, as the air pressure in the tire is greater than atmospheric air pressure. The pressure of the air in the tire provides resistance against forces that attempt to deform the tire. This gives the tire a slight degree of a cushioning effect when the tire hits bumps in the road. If you have ever taken a ride in an old-fashioned carriage which had wooden wheels, you understand precisely how huge of a difference a set of pneumatic tires makes.
Of course, there are several disadvantages to pneumatic tires. Like for example in highly dangerous applications or high-performance situations, these tires can suffer a puncture and this would lead to a total failure. The consequence of a blowout at high speeds could result in a dangerous car crash. Military planners must take into consideration tires getting blown out by firing of guns or explosion shrapnel. A vehicle crew's worst nightmare is becoming trapped in a fire zone due to all of their tires becoming flat. Airless tires evidently don't suffer from these issues and hence, in some applications, might be more suitable.
The pneumatic tire might have problems as well with the variation in tire performance and air pressure. The lower pressure inside a tire could increase the traction and the comfort level. This is due to the fact that tires flatten slightly and more tread is touching the road. The air pressure inside of the tire works to maintain the "up and down" stiffness as well as maintain the lateral stiffness of the tire. Thus, reduced air pressure enables the sidewalls of the tires to flex. This leads to poor handling unfortunately. In an airless tire, the stiffness in those two dimensions is independent.
There are other issues with air pressure. Consumers are notoriously unreliable when it comes to maintaining proper air pressure. Tires which have incorrect air pressure could result in unsafe situations. It is important to note that pneumatic tires are also prone to temperature changes, that could be responsible for changing the internal pressure of the tire. It is essential to take into consideration the kind of settings you will be requiring your equipment to operate in so that you could inspect the tires on a regular basis and keep the machine as safe as possible.