A pneumatic or air-filled tire consists of an inner core which is sealed airtight and filled with pressurized air. Typically, a reinforced steel belted tread or other type of materials, seals this inner core and provides the contact part with the road.
The tire would remain inflated with all the vehicle's weight resting on it, since the air pressure in the tire is greater than atmospheric air pressure. The air pressure in the tire provides resistance against forces that try 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 that had wooden wheels, you know how huge of a difference a set of pneumatic tires could make.
Pneumatic tires also come with drawbacks. High-performance situations or highly dangerous applications for instance, these tires can suffer a puncture and this will result in a total failure. The consequence of a blowout at high speeds can lead to a dangerous car accident. Military planners must consider tires getting blown out by explosion shrapnel or shooting of guns. The worst nightmare of a vehicle crew is becoming trapped within a fire zone due to all of their tires becoming flat. Airless tires obviously don't suffer from these problems and therefore, can be more suitable in some applications.
The pneumatic tire may have issues as well with the variation in tire performance and air pressure. The lower pressure inside a tire may increase the comfort level and the traction. 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 lateral stiffness of the tire as well as maintain the "up and down" stiffness. Therefore, reduced air pressure allows the tires' sidewalls to flex. This leads to poor handling unfortunately. Within 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 correct air pressure. Tires that have incorrect air pressure can result in unsafe situations. It is really important to note that pneumatic tires are also prone to temperature changes, which can be responsible for changing the internal tire pressure. It is very important to take into account the kind of environments you will be needing your equipment to operate in so that you can inspect the tires regularly and keep the machinery as safe as possible.