CG is center of gravity, or balance point. It controlls how the plane sits in the air. If you get the ballance right it will take off and land much easier, and general flight will be much better. The book always makes a suggestion fo right ballance point, but more often than not, the book is specifying a slightly nose heavy condition. For most planes best flight is achieved having a CG moved a tiny bit farther back than the book suggests. The rule is, make it like the book says, try it, tweek it a little, try it again.. you instructor may be able to guide you.

I teach with an irvine 53 powered Avistar. We fly around half throttle most of the time, suprizingly the big motor at half throttle gets 25 minutes or more. i don't actually recommend the 53 for your first plane, but it sure is a heck of a lot of fun to run that stick up all the way watch her go! Too much is just enough!

I have built a couple kits. in my experience they have not been cheaper than the ARFs, they take a very long time, and mine don't turn out as well as ARFs. Do what makes you happy. the only reason to build is because you enjoy it, and lots of people do, but most of us are flying ARFs, there is a reason for that.


PS thats not a stupid question. Airplanes are complicated, and there is a lot of unusuall language to learn