We’re excited to be giving away two copies of Another Day Like Yesterday by Guy Clapshaw to our GrownUps members!
To be in the draw, simply make sure you’re a GrownUps member, signed up to our newsletter, and fill in your details at the bottom of the page.
A rollicking journey through the early days of Air New Zealand
What happens when a former Air New Zealand pilot spends decades collecting stories from the cockpit and finally decides to tell them?
Another Day Like Yesterday is an entertaining collection of tales—some tall, most true—from the colourful days of New Zealand aviation in the 1960s and 70s. It captures the spirit of commercial flying in those decades, when flying was more romantic and exciting, but not as safe and reliable. It also chronicles a formative period in Air New Zealand’s evolution, as the airline expanded beyond its Tasman Empire Airways roots to become an international carrier.
Now in his eighties, Clapshaw is about to publish his fourth book, Another Day Like Yesterday, which TV chef and master aviator Simon Gault describes as ‘no ordinary aviation memoir, but a cheeky, sky-high buffet of real events, embellished tales and the kind of irreverent yarns only a pilot could deliver with a straight face. Think black coffee at 35,000 feet, a side of storm-dodging and dessert served with a cockpit door wide open.’
Clapshaw’s sharp eye for the absurd and an affection for the camaraderie of life in the air before black boxes replaced specialist navigators and flight engineers, enables him to recount what it was like to fly in another age. Think luxury layovers in exotic destinations; storm dodging flights; colleagues’ superb aviation skills in tricky situations; and a cast of unique characters who made his flying days so memorable.
‘For 70 years, I was part of the aviation scene. I shared some fantastic adventures and met a lot of amazing people – some nice, some challenging – among them, film stars, sports people, politicians, authors, business leaders and war heroes,’ said Clapshaw. ‘I began noting down some of the more intriguing happenings, thinking, this would make a good book one day.’
Warm, witty and packed with larger-than-life personalities, Another Day Like Yesterday offers readers a nostalgic and entertaining glimpse into an era of flying that will never be repeated.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Encouraged by his famous novelist friend and former Royal Air Force colleague, Frederick Forsyth, to never let the facts spoil a good story, Guy Clapshaw wrote his first book, A Likely Story. It became a bestseller, was reprinted several times and led to offers from international publishers for a sequel.
Clapshaw learned to fly in the post-war Royal Air Force before going into civil charter flying to join the ‘if its got a sharp end, two wings and a fan, I’ll fly it,’ brigade, shunting cargo and hapless tourists around Europe in old aeroplanes that might even land on the same number of engines they took off on. Four years flying antiquated, badly maintained old planes and being expected to bend the rules when bad weather or flight time limitations grounded the competition, persuaded him to join a reputable scheduled airline—where crews were properly trained, paid regularly and the aircraft modern and well maintained.
When age forced his retirement from flying passenger jets, Clapshaw started flying planes for movies and TV commercials. The author of three other books: A Likely Story, And That’s Another Story, Tasman Echo Alpha, he is working on his fifth book and cannot wait to find out how it ends.
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Terms and conditions
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You must be a GrownUps member and subscribed to our newsletter to be eligible to enter.
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The competition closes on 26th August 2026. Winners will be notified via email by 27th August 2026.
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It is your responsibility to provide a correct New Zealand postal address for prize delivery. GrownUps is not responsible for prizes sent to incorrect addresses.
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Winners will be drawn at random by the GrownUps administration team.
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GrownUps employees and their immediate families are not eligible to enter.
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By entering, you agree to GrownUps using your name on social media as a winner of the competition.
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One entry per household.
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The prize is non-transferable and cannot be exchanged for cash or other items.
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You must reside in New Zealand, as the prize can only be delivered within New Zealand.
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You must be over 50 years of age to enter. Please ensure your membership details are up to date in your dashboard.
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