PITTS S-4C PLT WAS ACCUSED OF OPERATING WITHOUT NAV LIGHTS. THE PLT LANDED AT XD45. NAV LIGHTS WERE NOT REQUIRED UNTIL XE08.

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THE PURPOSE OF THE FLT; WHICH ORIGINATED AT BED; WAS TO VISIT A FRIEND 30 MI AWAY; AT 1B9 ARPT; TO DISCUSS PLANS TO RESTORE MY ACFT OVER THE WINTER MONTHS; AND THEN RETURN TO BED. MY ACFT IS DIFFICULT TO DETECT VISUALLY DUE TO ITS DIMINUTIVE SIZE; AND DIFFICULT TO DETECT BY RADAR DUE TO THE FACT THAT IT IS NOT EQUIPPED WITH A XPONDER. THE STAFF AT HANSCOM TWR FELT IT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL IF I COULD COORDINATE MY MOVEMENTS WITH THEM TO AVOID MY FLYING DURING PARTICULARLY BUSY PERIODS. AT APPROX XA40; AS PART OF THIS INFORMAL ARRANGEMENT; I CALLED THE TWR TO ADVISE THEM OF MY INTENDED DEP TIME OF AROUND XB30; AND WE DISCUSSED WHAT TIME IT WOULD BE BEST FOR ME TO RETURN. I HAD INTENDED TO RETURN BTWN XD00 AND XD30; BUT THE STAFF FELT THIS WAS NOT A GOOD TIME; AS THEY ANTICIPATED SEVERAL JET ARRS. DUE TO THE SHORTENING DAYLIGHT; WE AGREED THAT I SHOULD TRY TO ARRIVE BEFORE XD00. IN AN ATTEMPT TO IMPROVE THE RANGE OF THE HANDHELD RADIO I USE TO COMMUNICATE WITH ATC; I HAD RECENTLY PURCHASED AN IN-LINE AMPLIFIER. ON THE SPUR OF THE MOMENT; I DECIDED TO CONNECT IT TO MY HANDHELD PRIOR TO THE FLT. COMPLICATIONS IN THE FITTING OF THE AMPLIFIER RESULTED IN ALMOST AN HR'S DELAY IN DEP. AT APPROX XC50; SHORTLY AFTER LNDG AT 1B9; I CALLED HANSCOM TWR TO ADVISE THEM I WOULD BE UNABLE TO RETURN AT THE AGREED TIME; AND MENTIONED THAT I WOULD BE PREPARED TO TIME MY RETURN FLT SO I WOULD REACH THEIR AIRSPACE AROUND XE00. AFTER ASKING WHETHER MY ACFT WAS EQUIPPED WITH OPERATING POS LIGHTS; THE CTLR ON THE PHONE POINTED OUT THAT THIS WOULD RESULT IN MY FLYING AFTER SUNSET. PERHAPS ASSUMING THAT I HAD A PRECISE KNOWLEDGE OF THE FARS IN THIS RESPECT; HE DID NOT POINT OUT THAT IT WOULD BE A VIOLATION OF FARS TO OPERATE AFTER SUNSET WITHOUT LIGHTS. PROBABLY ASSUMING I ALSO KNEW WHAT TIME SUNSET WAS; HE ALSO DID NOT MENTION THE PRECISE TIME OF SUNSET. SO IT WAS THAT; IN WHAT APPEARED TO BE BROAD DAYLIGHT; I DEPARTED 1B9; BOUND FOR BED. THERE WERE FEW IF ANY CLOUDS THAT EVENING; SO 15 MINS LATER; STILL IN WHAT SEEMED CLR DAYLIGHT; I HAD MY FIRST INDICATION THAT THERE WAS A PROB: HANSCOM ATC INITIALLY REFUSED ME ENTRY INTO THEIR AIRSPACE; BUT THEN IMMEDIATELY REVERSED THEIR DECISION AND AUTH ME TO PROCEED AS REQUESTED. I LANDED UNEVENTFULLY AT XD45 AFTER MINOR TFC DELAYS PROBABLY TOTALING 2 MINS. I LATER DISCOVERED THAT SUNSET HAD OCCURRED 7 MINS EARLIER; AT XD38. UNAWARE OF MY INFRINGEMENT OF THE RULES; I WAS SURPRISED WHEN GND CTL REQUESTED THAT I CALL THEM ON A LANDLINE. 1/2 HR LATER; I WAS INFORMED BY THE HANSCOM TWR SUPVR THAT HE WOULD CITE ME FOR A VIOLATION OF THE FARS.