Extreme dad rates extreme day

If your father was more daredevil than day care when you were growing up, he’s probably not the type who will be happy with a tie for Father’s Day. Well, unless he’s going to use it like a Rambo-style headband for his paintball league.

If you’re looking for a Father’s Day gift that rocks more than socks, the East Valley can serve up a memorable adventure for even the most pumped-up padre.

• If your father has always dreamed of being Tom Cruise’s Maverick in "Top Gun," Fighter Combat International in Mesa can help him be a fighter pilot for a day. While militarytrained pilots have ultimate control over the aircraft, 75 percent of the flight will be controlled by dad.

The planes feature a fully integrated laser weapons platform, projected gun sight, combat-engagement sound card, and a quadruple-view video system that creates an authentic combat simulation while airborne. Price: $265 to $822, depending on the adventure. (480) 279-1881 or www.fightercombat.com.

• Let your father get in touch with his inner Mario Andretti with a course at the Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving in Chandler. Dad can satisfy his need for speed behind the wheel of a highperformance race car and instructors promise to never whine, "Are we there yet?" Students also get to test their driving skills on the school’s 15-turn, 1.6-mile road course. Price: $300 to $3,775, depending on the course. (800) 842-7223 or

www.bondurantracingschool.com.

• Adventure 241, offered by Scottsdale-based Arizona White-Knuckle Adventures, is the perfect one-day adventure for dads who like variety. Your father can choose between hiking, mountain biking and rock climbing to create his own dual adventure. The day starts with your dad’s first adventure. When he’s hungry, they’ll break for lunch. Then, he’ll move on to his second adventure. $235. (480) 342-9669 or info@arizonaadventures.com.

• If your dad always dreamed of trading in his minivan for motorcycle, he can learn to ride at T.E.A.M. Arizona Motorcyclist Training Center in Gilbert. T.E.A.M. Arizona provides the motorcycle and teaches the skills that every beginning rider needs to know to keep him from becoming roadkill. $220. (480) 998-9888 or www.motorcycletraining.com.

• If you father’s favorite part of "Fear Factor" is the hovering helicopters, deeppocketed offspring can help him take a whirl on his own at Quantum Helicopters. The Chandler flight school can help a motivated student get his private helicopter license in 30 days. $8,500 to $11,500 for private license instruction. (480) 814-8118 or

www.quantumhelicopters.com.