I'm a winemaker, not a pilot, but have a huge interest in aviation and really enjoy this site. Reading this thread I have only one thought: If you're flying in a constant wind it doesn't matter how you turn, upwind or downwind, as you are moving in the frame of reference of the wind. The wind velocity can be 10 knots or 150 knots relative to the ground, it just doesn't matter. You are flying in a volume of air and the airplane is only reacting to forces generated by its movement though that volume. Ignore the ground speed, that's not what generates lift. Turn left, turn right, turn downwind, turn upwind, it's all good as you are effectively turning in still air as you are swept along over the ground. You are going to move across the ground pretty fast flying downwind in a 150 knot breeze and you might be standing still in a 150 knot headwind, but it just doesn't matter. Thanks for all the great comments on these threads, it's pretty educational for me.