Richard DeFatta has joined Kratos Defense & Security Solutions in San Diego, as VP-engineering support services for the Madison Research Business Unit of the Weapon Systems Solution Div. He was VP of Teledyne Solutions.

Michelle A. Scarpella and Stephen D. Hogan (see photos) have been appointed Falls Church, Va.-based VPs for the F-35 and F/A-18 programs, respectively, for the Northrop Grumman Corp. Scarpella has worked on the B-2, Joint Stars and E-2C Hawkeye programs, and Hogan was EA-18G and EA-6B program director.

When GE Aviation spearheaded its drive to qualify the F136 as a second powerplant choice for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, it naturally emphasized the project's jobs potential. Southern state political leaders, eager for new, well-paying manufacturing jobs, offered incentives to win a share of the Defense Department's biggest procurement program. In the end, GE Aviation and its partner, Rolls-Royce, lost their JSF bid; Pratt & Whitney's F135 retained its role as the fighter's sole powerplant.

R. Scott Rettig has been named chairman and CEO of OTO Melara North America in Washington, succeeding U.S. Navy Adm. (ret.) James Amerault, who will retire. Rettig was chairman and CEO of AgustaWestland North America.

Finding ways to cut fuel consumption in daily flight operations is tedious but rewarding.

Kharam Khalsa had an ambitious goal to reach before graduating from the University of Waterloo in Ontario: create a global standard for airline sustainability and establish an international forum for environmental managers to share their ideas about achieving sustainability.

Brendan Lodge has been appointed chairman of Central European Private Aviation in Prague. He is business development director of JetBrokers Europe.

Marie Epstein (see photo) has been promoted to VP-sales for the Americas from regional sales manager at Virgin Atlantic Cargo in New York. She was director of strategic accounts at Delta Air Lines/Northwest Airlines Cargo.