Thicker windshields are usually installed to reduce
wind and vibration noise intrusion into the cockpit.
The windshield is a huge drumhead that is set vibrating
by the prop blast and engine vibration. A thicker screen
will dampen those vibrations somewhat - but only somewhat.
A good pair of headsets/earplugs is cheaper+lighter.
Cars used to increase the glass thickness to do this...now
they use a special noise-damping PVB film between two thinner
panes; the wind-noise reduction is very noticeable. Sorry,
doesn't work for acrylic.
The thicker windscreen would add about 5lbs. However, you'd
really need to do the side screens too, and they'd add another
15lbs.
SS
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