A sandwich composite panel (2) provides a
load bearing structural member as well as
noise protection, especially for a helicopter
fuselage cell or cabin. The panel (2) includes an inner honey-comb core (6) made up of hollow
cell bodies (4) extending trans-versely and sandwiched between first and second cover skins (8, 10) of
fiber composite material. In order to achieve a low weight, a simple manufacturing, and good
noise absorption, at least one of the cover skins (8) adapted to face the main source of
noise (H) is made up of an open mesh
fiber composite net (12) and a flexible cover film (16) applied on the outer surface of this
fiber composite net (12). The net (12) has a smaller mesh size than the inner cross-sectional size of the hollow
cell bodies (4).