[TheSpiceIsLife]

Takeoff and landing are probably always going to be the noisiest part thrust-powered flight.

[jorleif]

That is a good point... So now I'm back to the giant slingshot idea.

[icebraining]

What about a buried rail gun, as a less explosive version of the columbiad in Jules Verne's From the Earth to the Moon? You'd step on to a circular platform, get slowly lowered into the barrel, then shot into the sky, where the wings would open :)

[Piskvorrr]

Acceleration profile could be the issue here.

[stcredzero]

Scott Addams got there first.

https://goo.gl/images/dsGSgv

[FabHK]

Takeoff, in particular (as you have to build up kinetic and potential energy). For landing, you could glide in without thrust.