 Porte learnt to fly by the end of 1910 using a Santos-Dumont Demoiselle that he built in his spare time; he was also assigned to HMS "President" in London for a flying course and gained his flying certificate (No.548) with the Aero Club de France 28 July 1911, flying a Deperdussin monoplane at Reims airfield.Six days prior, Porte took part in the "Daily Mail" Circuit of Britain from Brooklands with the first British built 60hp Anzani Deperdussin monoplane, but suffered an unfortunate accident shortly after takeoff.