A Schweizer SGM 2-37 Flies Overhead

I was up at our Troy office today, so I decided to head back via Detroit because I saw that there would be a ship passing by at roughly the same time as I would be passing by.

 As I was waiting for the ship, I saw this airplane pass overhead.  Based on the wingspan, I figured it was some sort of glider.  Based on the propeller, I then figured that it was a powered glider.

 It turns out that this is a Schweizer SGM 2-37 motor glider.  The aircraft was initially developed for the United States Air Force Academy for use as a glider trainer.  It first flew in 1982 and was retired from Air Force service in 2003.

 It is powered by a Lycoming O-235 engine with 112 hp.  This gives it a cruise speed of 114 miles per hour. 

A total of 12 aircraft were built, of which 9 were used by the Air Force.  This particular one belongs to the Tuskegee Airmen National Museum in Detroit, MI.