Born on 18 February 1893, George, and his brother Earl, were interested in aviation from an early age, being featured in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch with an airplane model of his design in 1909.

By 24 June 1910, Prudden had soloed a plane of his own design based on the Wright Flyer.

[3] In 1927, Prudden founded the Prudden-San Diego Airplane Company, to manufacture an all-metal trimotor with Ryan supplied engines.

[6] In World War II, Prudden managed the Ryan Aeronautical factory in San Diego, California.

Many of Prudden's awards were displayed in the San Diego Air & Space Museum, but were destroyed in a 1978 arson fire.