George Bruce Bolt was born in Dunedin, New Zealand 24 May 1893. He was interested in flight from a very early age. In 1910, with two close friends, R D Wraight and W M Angus, Bolt formed the Canterbury Aero Club. They became involved in gliding experiments from Christchurch's Cashmere Hills, using run-and-launch gliders. Bolt later developed ailerons and hand controls for his gliders, and at the outbreak of World War I was developing an engine which would assist glider flights.

He is credited with the first aerial photographs in 1912, an interest he developed further in later years.

In 1916 Bolt became an apprentice mechanic at the Walsh Brothers Flying School in Auckland. There he learnt to pilot flying-boats, and soon became the flying instructor at the School's Kohimarama flying-boat base.

Bolt is famous for "firsts" such as making the first airmail delivery in New Zealand and the first business passenger trips in Australasia. He was also famous for breaking or setting many aviation records, including the altitude record of 6,500 feet in 1919, and in 1918 the non-stop flying record Auckland to Wellington (382 miles) in 5hrs 6 mins. He later held positions as pilot, engineer, and administrative, flying and technical positions with local and overseas airlines.

He served with the RNZAF and the Royal Air Force during World War II, and in 1944 Bolt was appointed Chief Engineer of Tasman Empire Airways Limited (now known as Air New Zealand), a position held until his retirement in 1960.

George Bolt achieved world-wide respect for his aeronautical engineering ability, his flying prowess, and his tremendous contribution to aviation in New Zealand. By example he led a generation of pilots and aero engineers to whom perfection is paramount.