j.t.
I never flew the Diesel 9 but I gather that the boys on that were always interested in fuel remaining and paid much attention to wind gradients and just what level they ought to be re the latter to maximise the former.
I flew the DC-9-10 as my first PIC airplane. The longest leg was probably 1:30 or so, so winds aloft were far less important than Boston to Los Angeles on a 1011.
Winds aloft were a big deal; wind gradients were in the dust of the details.