A Wireless Avionics Intra-Communications, WAIC, interface communication between a portable electronic device and a WAIC controller, the WAIC interface device comprising: a housing configured to be mounted to an interior surface of an aircraft and to receive and physically engage the portable electronic device; a wireless antenna located within the housing; wireless access point electronics located within the housing, connected to the wireless antenna to communicate wirelessly with the portable electronic device via the wireless antenna, and connected via a communication port to a wired connection to communicate with the WAIC controller; and an interface controller, located within the housing and connected to the wireless access point electronics, that authenticates the engaged portable electronic device, so that the wireless access point electronics can establish communications between the WAIC controller and the engaged portable electronic device via the wireless antenna, the wireless access point electronics, and the wired connection, wherein the interface controller comprises a processor and computer readable memory that includes an authentication module containing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the WAIC interface device to authenticate the engaged portable electronic device by comparing a list of authenticated portable devices to a unique identifier of the engaged portable electronic device received from the engaged portable electronic device via the wireless antenna and the wireless access point electronics; wherein the WAIC interface device disconnects wireless communications with the portable electronic device when the portable electronic device is not physically engaged with the WAIC interface device. a housing configured to be mounted to an interior surface of an aircraft and to receive and physically engage the portable electronic device; a wireless antenna located within the housing; wireless access point electronics located within the housing, connected to the wireless antenna to communicate wirelessly with the portable electronic device via the wireless antenna, and connected via a communication port to a wired connection to communicate with the WAIC controller; and an interface controller, located within the housing and connected to the wireless access point electronics, that authenticates the engaged portable electronic device, so that the wireless access point electronics can establish communications between the WAIC controller and the engaged portable electronic device via the wireless antenna, the wireless access point electronics, and the wired connection, wherein the interface controller comprises a processor and computer readable memory that includes an authentication module containing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the WAIC interface device to authenticate the engaged portable electronic device by comparing a list of authenticated portable devices to a unique identifier of the engaged portable electronic device received from the engaged portable electronic device via the wireless antenna and the wireless access point electronics; wherein the WAIC interface device disconnects wireless communications with the portable electronic device when the portable electronic device is not physically engaged with the WAIC interface device.