Retirement Benefits (Narrative) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended						36 Months Ended	12 Months Ended					36 Months Ended	12 Months Ended			24 Months Ended	12 Months Ended					24 Months Ended	12 Months Ended																		12 Months Ended			3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2011	Sep. 30, 2013 Pension Plans, Defined Benefit [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Pension Plans, Defined Benefit [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Pension Plans, Defined Benefit [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 United States Pension Plans of US Entity, Defined Benefit [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 United States Pension Plans of US Entity, Defined Benefit [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 United States Pension Plans of US Entity, Defined Benefit [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 United States Pension Plans of US Entity, Defined Benefit [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 United Kingdom Plan, Defined Benefit [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 United Kingdom Plan, Defined Benefit [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Japan Plan, Defined Benefit [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Japan Plan, Defined Benefit [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Switzerland Plan, Defined Benefit [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Switzerland Plan, Defined Benefit [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Foreign Pension Plans, Defined Benefit [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Foreign Pension Plans, Defined Benefit [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Foreign Pension Plans, Defined Benefit [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Foreign Pension Plans, Defined Benefit [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Other Postretirement Benefit Plans, Defined Benefit [Member] Y	Sep. 30, 2012 Other Postretirement Benefit Plans, Defined Benefit [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Other Postretirement Benefit Plans, Defined Benefit [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 United Kingdom, Other Postretirement Benefit Plans, Defined Benefit [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 United Kingdom, Other Postretirement Benefit Plans, Defined Benefit [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 United Kingdom, Other Postretirement Benefit Plans, Defined Benefit [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 United States Postretirement Benefit Plans of US Entity, Defined Benefit [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Cash and Cash Equivalents [Member] Pension Plans, Defined Benefit [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Pooled funds: Index linked U.K. government securities fund [Member] Pension Plans, Defined Benefit [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Pooled funds: Index linked U.K. long-term government securities fund [Member] Pension Plans, Defined Benefit [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Mutual funds: U.S. corporate bond fund [Member] Pension Plans, Defined Benefit [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Pooled funds: Index linked U.K. corporate bonds fund [Member] Pension Plans, Defined Benefit [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Equity Funds [Member] Pension Plans, Defined Benefit [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Pooled funds: Japanese fixed income securities [Member] Pension Plans, Defined Benefit [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Pooled funds: International fixed income securities [Member] Pension Plans, Defined Benefit [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Mutual funds: U.S. equity large cap fund [Member] Pension Plans, Defined Benefit [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Mutual funds: International equity large cap growth fund [Member] Pension Plans, Defined Benefit [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Pooled funds: Japanese equity securities [Member] Pension Plans, Defined Benefit [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Pooled funds: International equity securities [Member] Pension Plans, Defined Benefit [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Pooled funds: Index linked U.K. equity fund [Member] Pension Plans, Defined Benefit [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Pooled funds: Index linked international equity fund [Member] Pension Plans, Defined Benefit [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Insurance Backed Assets [Member] Pension Plans, Defined Benefit [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Multiemployer Plan, Japan [Member] Minimum [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Multiemployer Plan, Japan [Member] Maximum [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Business Acquisition, Acquiree - Duarte Business [Member] United States Pension Plans of US Entity, Defined Benefit [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Total stockholders equity	Sep. 30, 2012 Total stockholders equity	Mar. 31, 2013 Treasury Stock at Cost [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Treasury Stock at Cost [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Treasury Stock at Cost [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Treasury Stock at Cost [Member]
Contributions paid																																											$ 50
Net periodic retirement pension (beneift) cost		4,492	4,481	4,399	3,443	2,937	2,773								1,049	1,544	1,626		1,089	1,409	1,323																						208
Value of Company Stock Contributed to Defined Contribution Benefit Plans	9,107																																											9,780	9,335	9,780	9,335	7,857	4,097
Treasury Stock Issued During Period, Shares, Employee Benefit Plans																																														250	209	250	209
Discount rate support/source data								In the United States, Woodward used a bond portfolio matching analysis based on recently traded, non-callable bonds rated AA or better that have at least $50 million outstanding.		iBoxx AA-rated corporate bond index (applicable for bonds over 15 years) to determine a blended rate to use as the benchmark in the United Kingdom		Woodward used Standard & Poors AA-rated corporate bond yields (applicable for bonds over 10 years) as the benchmark in Japan.		In Switzerland, Woodward used high quality swap rates plus a credit spread of 0.20%, 0.46% and 0.36%, in fiscal years 2013, 2012 and 2011, respectively, as high quality swaps are available in Switzerland at various durations and trade at higher volumes than bonds.				Woodward refined its existing estimation process for determining the discount rates in the United Kingdom and Japan and used cash flow matching to develop a single rate equivalent for a theoretical portfolio of non-callable, AA-rated bonds for each jurisdiction.					Woodward used the iBoxx AA-rated corporate bond index (applicable for bonds over 15 years) to determine a blended rate to use as the benchmark in the United Kingdom.	Woodward refined its existing estimation process for determining the discount rates in the United Kingdom and used cash flow matching to develop a single rate equivalent for a theoretical portfolio of non-callable, AA-rated bonds.	In the United States, Woodward used a bond portfolio matching analysis based on recently traded, non-callable bonds rated AA or better that have at least $50 million outstanding.
Projected benefit obligation		190,423	198,476	163,696	126,532	137,639	106,341	126,532	49,027		11,824		3,040	3,040	63,891	60,837	57,355	63,891	28,996	37,550	32,923	543		543
Fair value of plan assets		190,175	161,503	138,347	129,518	105,966	89,980	129,518	48,381		10,300		1,976	1,976	60,657	55,537	48,367	60,657	0	0	0					422	4,176	4,908	49,328	15,810	11,324	4,414	1,535	44,140	35,777	2,269	1,989	6,060	6,047	1,976
Benefits paid		5,736	5,262		3,131	2,737									2,605	2,525			4,206	4,846		18
Estimated future employer contributions in the next fiscal year					500				1,867		1,108		187						3,954
Option to elect company provided medical insurance coverage up to this age and a Medicare supplemental plan after this age																			65
Approximate number of retired employees and their covered dependents and beneficiaries currently providing postretirement benefits																			900
Approximate number of active employees and their covered dependants and beneficiaries who may receive postretirement benefits in the future																			60
As a result of a plan amendment, all postretirement medical benefits are fully insured for retirees who have attained this age																			65
One-time contribution that would be incurred if the Company elects to withdraw																																									1,500	2,000
Accumulated benefit obligation					$ 116,061	$ 123,869		$ 116,061							$ 60,701	$ 57,494		$ 60,701	$ 28,996	$ 37,550