Yes you are correct on what a buddy box is. As far as starting tuning refueling ect. Refueling you will do with the engine off, so it's a moot point. Starting, you do in one of 2 ways. A chicken stick or a electric starter. Either way, u heat the glow plug then flip the prop till the fuel combusts. Use of a chicken stick instead of fingers keeps painful and dangerous accidents away. Usually to start you have to be infront of the plane. The plane should be properly restrained. Tuning you do carefully and from behind. Most new engines have remote needle valves (for the high end) which is behind the crank case, rather then up by the carb so ur further away from the spinning prop. The lowend is still up right behind of the prop, so that requires more care. Shutting the engine down being the safest way before tweaking. However my instructor will very carefully tune it with the engine running. Another instructor at my club has a screwdriver attached to a small stick for adjusting the low end. I'm being breif, cause the members of your club will be more then happy to help you out with all of this hands on.
-John