Final 3 Greens
Agree with you on most occasions, but assume the engine goes bang at 700ft, or even 1,000ft, and the wind at 1000ft is say 25kts, there is no way you will make a teardrop return because by the time you have turned downwind you will have been blown a seriously long way back to the runway (remember doing circuits in strong winds?), also because of a strong headwind and a low groundspeed (& airspeed in the climb) your position at a set height will be closer to the runway than it's imagined, so personally I think you will have to do more of a 360° than a 270° to make the centreline.
Again as we all know all situations are different, in calm winds I agree you can get away with a teardrop, but when the winds are strong you have very little chance
