Other Liabilities (Schedule of Other Liabilities) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		Sep. 30, 2019	Oct. 01, 2018	[6]	Sep. 30, 2018
Other Liabilities [Abstract]
Net accrued retirement benefits, less amounts recognized within accrued liabilities		$ 111,257			$ 90,722
Total unrecognized tax benefits		10,644			8,582
Noncurrent income taxes payable	[1]	20,251			12,494
Deferred economic incentives	[2]	11,535			13,038
Loss reserve on contractual lease commitments	[3]	1,754			2,686
Cross currency swap derivative liability	[4]				23,000
Net noncurrent contract liabilities	[5]	337,165			235,300
Other		13,482			12,233
Other liabilities		$ 506,088	$ 476,685		$ 398,055	[6]

[1] See Note 18, Income taxes for more information on the noncurrent income taxes payable.

[2] Woodward receives certain economic incentives from various state and local authorities related to capital expansion projects. Such amounts are initially recorded as deferred credits and are being recognized as a reduction to pre-tax expense over the economic lives of the related capital expansion projects.

[3] See Note 15, Accrued liabilities for more information on the loss reserve on contractual lease commitments.

[4] See Note 7, Financial instruments and fair value measurements for more information on the cross currency swap derivative liability.

[5] See Note 3, Revenue, for more information on net noncurrent contract liabilities.

[6] 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.”