My old Hitec Optic 6 had an engine kill button on the top which made it a quick engine stop from idle.

I have just returned to the hobby after 14 years adrift, and have decided to lose the old 36mhz Hitec Optic 6 and instead use an old Spektrum DX7 (which is in itself a new learning experience for me).

Until now I have only been using the DX7 with electric planes, but in a few days I am picking up a second hand Boomerang 60 with a 15cc gas engine.

My question is: Is there a Kill Switch option within the DX7 rather than having to use the down trim button to shut off the engine?

You can setup a throttle cut. That's an old transmitter so not sure if you need a mix or its already in the menu.

Gas engines you're best to have an optical ignition kill like the RC Excel and not rely on the transmitter/receiver/servo solely to kill the engine in which case you just install the kill switch in the plane and assign a channel to it.

https://www.valleyviewrc.com/electronics/kill-switches the one with the BEC eliminates the need for a separate ignition battery which is desirable on a plane that size (well any size but especially the smaller ones)

Thanks for that information. The world has certainly moved a little while I was out of the hobby. I'll check at my local hobby shop for an Opto Kill option. I assume I could just assign something like my Aux 2 switch as an off/on for the Opto Kill? May be a little while before I get the Boomerang 60 up and running.

Yep, you just pick a channel with a switch, set the end points to 100/100 and off you go.

It kills the engine if you lose signal and allows you to shut it off if you lose a servo, linkage, anything mechanical. I won't run a gas engine w/o one.