Shy's quote: "As far as flying people as underslung loads is concerned, it cannot be done (at least, not in U.K.) without a CAA written permission. I know one pilot who unknowingly flew a worker in an underslung load net for a short distance and having owned up to the CAA found himself prosecuted and heavily fined."
One day a long time ago in the RN, with no planned flying and whilst the ship was operating alone way out at sea, I was told by my flight commander that the underslung load net was being attached to our Wessex 3 (single engine). On asking, why?, I was told that a photographer would be in the net and that I was to position the aircraft directly over the ship so that a camera with a fisheye lens could be used to take an unobstructed view of the ship, together with the all round horizon. I refused ... and was asked if I was disobeying a direct order. The flight commander ended his career as a Vice Admiral ... I got a very bad written report..