RE: Newbie looking for advice (Q-25)
When I fly and have to practice without pylons I liked to stand on the far right end of the field.
Bring the plane straight down the runway about 30 feet out and 30 foot high, when it gets down to you on the far right end of the field, bank and yank an approximate 110 foot turn going back down the opposite end. Rinse and repeat. This would be the equivelent to standing about 30 foot outside of Pylon #2.
Try to fly 10 perfect laps, keeping the plane on exactly the same path as the previous lap. Try to keep the same altitude through out the turns (not sure this is possible with a .25 or not). Just keep practicing this, and by making minimal stick inputs till its engrained. Keep tweaking the plane, balance, throws, and trims until if flies exactly as you would like, and set up all future planes to fly the same way. As you get more comfortable reduce surface throw until you are using near full stick deflection to make your banks and pulls.
There is no substitute for flying around yourself, but try to look at practice in front of you as if you were in a race, don't just sport fly the quickie.
have fun.