The air-filled or pneumatic tire is composed of a core filled with airtight sealed 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 will remain inflated with all the weight of the vehicle resting on it, since the air pressure within the tire is greater than atmospheric air pressure. The air pressure inside 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 know precisely how big of a difference a set of pneumatic tires can make.
Surely, there are several disadvantages to pneumatic tires. For example in highly dangerous applications or high-performance situations, these tires can suffer a puncture and this will lead to a complete failure. The consequence of a blowout at high speeds could result in a dangerous car accident. Military planners have to take into consideration tires getting blown out by explosion shrapnel or gunfire. The worst nightmare of a vehicle crew is becoming trapped in a fire zone because of all of their tires becoming flat. Airless tires obviously don't suffer from these kind of issues and therefore, can be more suitable in some applications.
Pneumatic tires have another issue involving variations in tire performance and air pressure. 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 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, reduced 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 proper air pressure, consumers are notoriously undependable. Improper air pressure within tires could result in very dangerous situations. It is really important to keep in mind that pneumatic tires are susceptible to temperature changes too, that could be responsible for changing the internal tire pressure. It is important to consider the type of environments you will be requiring your equipment to operate in so that you could regularly inspect the tires and keep the machine as safe as possible.