To give you an idea on the difference between the martian and the terrestrial atmosphere, consider the MER 'chute testing.

They went to the huge wind tunnel at Landley to simulate the chute being deployed - but they didnt need to run it a hundreds and hundreds of miles per hour ( mach 1+ for MER ) - but at something like 30 or 40. Such is the difference in the density of air, and thus the pressure it can exert on mars - that they could do the deployment simulation at an earth air speed in which they could just walk around and look at it.

iirc - it's not an EXACT simulation - 1000mbars of 40mph isnt the same sort of force as 10mbars at 800mph - lots of slow molecules doesnt equal a few very fast molecules, but the end result is very similar.

thats a very very long winded way of saying, even the strongest of winds has little actual 'wumph' behind it on mars.

Doug