Nike Air, introduced in 1979, placed an air-filled chamber in a shoe’s midsole.
The technology was developed from the work of former NASA aerospace engineer M. Frank Rudy, who proposed using pressurized air cushioning in athletic footwear. Nike adopted the concept and first used it commercially in the Tailwind running shoe.
The air unit was enclosed within the midsole, where it could help absorb impact and provide cushioning. Early Nike Air shoes hid the chamber from view, unlike the Air Max 1, which made the unit visible in 1987.
Nike Air is a broad technology family, not the name of one shoe. Air Max, Air Zoom, and other branded systems are distinct implementations or product lines, so they should not be treated as interchangeable names for the original 1979 technology.