Hill jumping

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Airborne Fiat Uno on the 1992 Noreaster road rally, Cambridgeshire, England
Airborne Fiat Uno on the 1992 Noreaster road rally, Cambridgeshire, England

Hill Jumping (also known as ramping) is an activity that involves driving an automobile at high speeds up a hill in an attempt to get the vehicle airborne at the hill's crest.

Hill jumping is also sometimes found in car rallies, as many of the cars have upgraded tire rims, suspension, and frames which can more safely survive the stress of landing. Hills where cars may become airborne are popular spectator spots. In rally culture, such jumps may be called a "yump", and are sometimes referred to as such in official literature.

In rallying, the driver usually gives the steering wheel a small flick as the car leaves the ground. This makes the car lean to one side, as if it were about to start turning. The result is the car does not fly straight in the air, but rather is higher on one side than the other. The reason for this is to reduce the shock on the suspension components and axles when landing. A car coming down on one front wheel and then the other transfers the landing force better than one that lands on both front wheels simultaneously.