Prince, under the alias 'George Manor' to conceal his flight training from his father, was the 55th American to be licensed to fly an airplane by the Aero Club of America.

[3] The year before the Prince family purchased the estate, the Wright Brothers had traveled to Pau, and made many well-publicized flights there, carrying passengers, and training pilots.

He formed the squadron with William Thaw II, Elliot C. Cowdin, Frazier Curtis, Victor Chapman, and Greeley S. Curtis Jr.[4] Elliott C. Cowdin, in an article which he published in the Harvard Alumni Bulletin (March 7, 1918) gave the full credit for the formation of this flying corps and for its incorporation in the French flying service to the energy and persistence of Norman Prince.

As an aviator, serving as a sergeant in the French air service, Prince was involved in 122 aerial combat engagements in which he was officially credited with five victories.

[6] On October 12, 1916, Prince flew as an escort for a bombing raid on the Mauser rifle works at Oberndorf, Germany during which he shot down an enemy plane.