The air-filled or pneumatic tire consists of a core filled with airtight sealed pressurized air. Typically, a tread made with reinforced steel belting or other materials, seals this inner core and provides the contact area with the road.
As the air pressure in the tire is greater than atmospheric air pressure, the tire remains inflated even with the weight of the vehicle resting on it. The pressure of the air in the tire gives resistance against forces which try 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 which had wooden wheels, you understand precisely how big of a difference a set of pneumatic tires can make.
Surely, there are some drawbacks to pneumatic tires. 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 could lead to a serious car crash. Military planners have to consider tires getting blown out by firing of guns or explosion shrapnel. 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 hence, in some applications, can be more suitable.
Pneumatic tires have another problem involving variations in tire performance and air pressure. Lower tire pressure could create increased comfort and improved traction. This is due to the fact that tires flatten a little and more tread is placed in contact with the road. The air pressure in the tire works to maintain the lateral stiffness of the tire as well as maintain the "up and down" stiffness. Hence, less air pressure allows the tires' sidewalls to flex. Unfortunately, this results in poor handling. Within an airless tire, the stiffness in those two dimensions is independent.
There are other issues with air pressure. Consumers are notoriously undependable when it comes to maintaining proper air pressure. Tires that have improper air pressure could result in unsafe situations. It is very important to keep in mind that pneumatic tires are susceptible to temperature changes too, that could be responsible for changing the internal pressure of the tire. It is vital to take into consideration the type of settings you would be requiring your equipment to operate in so that you can inspect the tires regularly and keep the machine as safe as possible.