There has been a grand total of 1 attempts to use shoes to blow up a plane. One. Out of literally billions of boardings. This is not a credible enough threat. Moreover, terrorists are not stupid, even though the TSA seems to think they are. Undergarments and body cavities can be used instead of shoes very easily.
Instead of wasting resources and destroying civil liberties trying to REACT to a once in a billion attempt, a smarter plan would instead be PROACTIVE and screen for explosives that could be hidden in undergarments or body cavities in addition to shoes. The GE EntryScan3 does this. Also, simply swabbing non-alarming shoes with ETD accomplishes this and is more likely to detect trace amounts of explosives hidden in other places.
Wonderful idea! I'm looking forward to when our airport receives one, but perhaps we can actually get an X-ray for checked bags first, since we don't even have that.
Instead, the ignorant little jackasses in charge of the TSA choose to conduct strip-searches of passengers by forcing them to deshoe. In addition to that, passengers who refuse this unreasonable request are given a retaliatory groping. This action by the TSA demonstates that they have zero common sense, zero knowledge of material science, and zero respect for passengers' civil liberties.
Saying that taking off your shoes is tantamount to a strip search is quite a stretch - Regardless, you only ever have to take off your shoes if they alarm the WTMD... otherwise all that happens is that they're... swabbed and checked for explosives with an ETD! Not even a groping! Say... taking into account that you consider a strip search to mean removing your shoes for 30 seconds, exactly what constitutes groping?
Such a disgrace of an organization should be dismantled.
Go for it, but first find an airline or airport that actually wants to take on the risk and financial burden.