A pneumatic or air-filled tire is composed on an inner core which is filled with pressurized air and sealed airtight. Typically, a reinforced steel belted tread or other materials, seals this inner core and provides the contact area with the road.
Since the air pressure in the tire is greater than atmospheric air pressure, the tire remains inflated even with a vehicles' weight resting on it. The air pressure in the tire gives resistance against forces which 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 huge of a difference a set of pneumatic tires makes.
Pneumatic tires also come with disadvantages. High-performance situations or highly dangerous applications for instance, these tires could suffer a puncture and this will result in a total failure. The consequence of a blowout at high speeds could result in a serious car crash. Military planners must take into consideration tires getting blown out by gunfire 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 type of problems and thus, in certain 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 can increase the comfort level and the traction. This is because of 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. 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.
Air pressure factors into other issues also. With regards to to maintaining correct air pressure, consumers are notoriously unreliable. Incorrect air pressure in tires could result in very unsafe situations. It is vital to note that pneumatic tires are also prone to temperature changes, which could be responsible for changing the internal pressure of the tire. It is very important to consider the type of environments you will be needing your equipment to operate in so that you could inspect the tires on a regular basis and keep the equipment as safe as possible.