It is good to know the speeds available in different modes, and how to use the different modes effectively, but you also have to know the conditions your flying in and learn how much battery you need to fly back to home point. Each condition you fly in is going to be a bit different. If you fly down wind, and use 50% of your battery, you will use a lot more battery getting back and can (probably will) run out of power before you get home since your battling wind that is causing you to use more power. If you fly upwind to start with and use 60% of the battery, you can set the bird to ATTI mode, and the tail wind will blow it back which is very neat and fun. You would use very little power in course corrections and maintaining altitude, or you could use the tailwind to help fly it home much faster. If your flying in really cold temps., your battery is not as efficient and will not have as much power available as when it is warm so you may run into trouble it you don't figure the lost capacity right. he wind can be much stronger higher up than near the ground, so a lower altitude where there is less wind may help get you home if your downwind and having to fly back against the wind. As you can see there are lots of variables to take into account and no one method of flying or operational mode covers all conditions.