Revenue (Schedule of Impact of the Adoption ASC 606 on Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		Jun. 30, 2019	Mar. 31, 2019	Oct. 01, 2018		Sep. 30, 2018		Jun. 30, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents		$ 63,302				$ 83,594		$ 114,399		$ 87,552
Accounts receivable, net		650,777				432,003	[1],[2]
Inventories		531,163				549,596	[1],[2]
Income taxes receivable		8,070				6,397	[3]
Other current assets		44,797				43,207
Total current assets		1,298,109				1,114,797
Property, plant and equipment, net		1,063,084				1,060,005
Goodwill		807,868				813,250
Intangible assets, net		641,481				700,883	[4]
Deferred income tax assets		15,336				16,570	[3]
Other assets		189,725				85,144	[1],[2],[5]
Total assets		4,015,603				3,790,649
Current liabilities:
Short-term borrowings		180,000				153,635
Accounts payable		243,071				226,285
Income taxes payable		12,816				16,745	[3]
Accrued liabilities		206,785				194,513	[2],[5]
Total current liabilities		642,672				591,178
Long-term debt, less current portion		1,011,147				1,092,397
Deferred income tax liabilities		173,289				170,915	[3]
Other liabilities		484,184				398,055	[5]
Total liabilities		2,311,292				2,252,545
Stockholders' equity:
Preferred stock
Common stock		106				106
Additional paid-in capital		205,704				185,705
Accumulated other comprehensive losses		(64,180)				(74,942)
Deferred compensation		9,118				8,431
Retained earnings		2,168,204				1,966,643
Stockholders' equity		2,318,952				2,085,943
Treasury stock at cost		(605,523)				(539,408)
Treasury stock held for deferred compensation		(9,118)				(8,431)
Total stockholders' equity		1,704,311	$ 1,702,665			1,538,104		$ 1,466,035	$ 1,456,910	$ 1,371,383
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity		4,015,603				3,790,649
ASC 606 [Member]
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents				$ 83,594
Accounts receivable, net	[1],[2]			567,671
Inventories	[1],[2]			475,990
Income taxes receivable	[3]			5,150
Other current assets				43,053
Total current assets				1,175,458
Property, plant and equipment, net				1,060,005
Goodwill				813,250
Intangible assets, net	[4]			698,364
Deferred income tax assets	[3]			15,385
Other assets	[1],[2],[5]			171,009
Total assets				3,933,471
Current liabilities:
Short-term borrowings				153,635
Accounts payable				226,285
Income taxes payable	[3]			22,097
Accrued liabilities	[2],[5]			209,138
Total current liabilities				611,155
Long-term debt, less current portion				1,092,397
Deferred income tax liabilities	[3]			176,430
Other liabilities	[5]			476,685
Total liabilities				2,356,667
Stockholders' equity:
Common stock				106
Additional paid-in capital				185,705
Accumulated other comprehensive losses				(74,987)
Deferred compensation				8,431
Retained earnings				2,005,388
Stockholders' equity				2,124,643
Treasury stock at cost				(539,408)
Treasury stock held for deferred compensation				(8,431)
Total stockholders' equity				1,576,804
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity				3,933,471
As Previously Reported [Member] | ASC 606 [Member]
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents				83,594
Accounts receivable, net	[1],[2]			536,910		104,907
Inventories	[1],[2]			494,594		(55,002)
Income taxes receivable	[3]			5,438		(959)
Other current assets				43,053		(154)
Total current assets				1,163,589		48,792
Property, plant and equipment, net				1,060,005
Goodwill				813,250
Intangible assets, net	[4]			698,364		(2,519)
Deferred income tax assets	[3]			15,595		(975)
Other assets	[1],[2],[5]			171,009		85,865
Total assets				3,921,812		131,163
Current liabilities:
Short-term borrowings				153,635
Accounts payable				226,285
Income taxes payable	[3]			20,886		4,141
Accrued liabilities	[2],[5]			210,185		15,672
Total current liabilities				610,991		19,813
Long-term debt, less current portion				1,092,397
Deferred income tax liabilities	[3]			174,748		3,833
Other liabilities	[5]			476,686		78,631
Total liabilities				2,354,822		102,277
Stockholders' equity:
Common stock				106
Additional paid-in capital				185,705
Accumulated other comprehensive losses				(74,983)		(41)
Deferred compensation				8,431
Retained earnings				1,995,570		28,927
Stockholders' equity				2,114,829		28,886
Treasury stock at cost				(539,408)
Treasury stock held for deferred compensation				(8,431)
Total stockholders' equity				1,566,990		28,886
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity				3,921,812		$ 131,163
Adjustments [Member] | ASC 606 [Member]
Current assets:
Accounts receivable, net		194,495		30,761	[1],[2]
Inventories		(110,358)		(18,604)	[1],[2]
Income taxes receivable		(9,833)		(288)	[3]
Other current assets		(69)
Total current assets		74,235		11,869
Intangible assets, net		(60)
Deferred income tax assets		(1,207)		(210)	[3]
Other assets		99,121
Total assets		172,089		11,659
Current liabilities:
Income taxes payable	[3]			1,211
Accrued liabilities		17,843		(1,047)	[2],[5]
Total current liabilities		17,843		164
Deferred income tax liabilities		5,371		1,682	[3]
Other liabilities		98,190		(1)	[5]
Total liabilities		121,404		1,845
Stockholders' equity:
Preferred stock
Accumulated other comprehensive losses		(31)		(4)
Retained earnings		50,716		9,818
Stockholders' equity		50,685		9,814
Total stockholders' equity		50,685		9,814
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity		172,089		$ 11,659
Under Previous Standard [Member]
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents		63,302
Accounts receivable, net		456,282
Inventories		641,521
Income taxes receivable		17,903
Other current assets		44,866
Total current assets		1,223,874
Property, plant and equipment, net		1,063,084
Goodwill		807,868
Intangible assets, net		641,541
Deferred income tax assets		16,543
Other assets		90,604
Total assets		3,843,514
Current liabilities:
Short-term borrowings		180,000
Accounts payable		243,071
Income taxes payable		12,816
Accrued liabilities		188,942
Total current liabilities		624,829
Long-term debt, less current portion		1,011,147
Deferred income tax liabilities		167,918
Other liabilities		385,994
Total liabilities		2,189,888
Stockholders' equity:
Preferred stock
Common stock		106
Additional paid-in capital		205,704
Accumulated other comprehensive losses		(64,149)
Deferred compensation		9,118
Retained earnings		2,117,488
Stockholders' equity		2,268,267
Treasury stock at cost		(605,523)
Treasury stock held for deferred compensation		(9,118)
Total stockholders' equity		1,653,626
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity		$ 3,843,514

[1] The adoption of ASC 606 changed the revenue recognition practices for a number of revenue generating activities across Woodward’s businesses, although the most significant impacts are concentrated in product being produced for customers that have no alternative use to Woodward and Woodward has an enforceable right to payment with a profit, and MRO. The revenue related to these activities, which previously was accounted for on a point in time basis, is now required to use an over time model because the associated contracts meet one or more of the mandatory criteria established in ASC 606, as described above, and are included as current unbilled receivables in “Accounts receivable” and noncurrent unbilled receivables in “Other assets.” The change in the timing of revenue recognized in connection with over time contracts similarly changed the timing of manufacturing cost recognition and certain engineering and development costs, which are reflected as a reduction to inventory.

[2] The value of noncash consideration in the form of exchanged products and other customer provided inventory is reflected in “Inventories,” and in contract liabilities, which are included in “Accrued liabilities.”

[3] The value of tax assets and tax liabilities was impacted by the change in timing of the recognition of assets and liabilities within tax jurisdictions.

[4] The net book value of the backlog and customer relationships and contracts intangible assets was adjusted concurrent with the change in the timing of the associated revenue, resulting in a reduction in the net book value of these assets as of the date of adoption.

[5] Woodward recorded customer funding of product engineering and development identified as material rights as current and noncurrent deferred revenue contract liabilities included in “Accrued liabilities” and “Other liabilities.” The related customer funded product engineering and development costs were capitalized as costs to fulfill a contract, to the extent of the contractually committed customer funded payments, and are recorded as “Other assets.”