Condensed Consolidating Statement of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Loss) (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Jul. 26, 2013	Jul. 27, 2012	Jul. 26, 2013	Jul. 27, 2012
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]
Net Sales	$ 478,068	$ 485,949	$ 1,435,592	$ 1,461,662
Cost of Sales	299,166	313,853	914,969	946,962
Gross Profit	178,902	172,096	520,623	514,700
Expenses
Selling, general and administrative	101,822	91,869	298,711	285,516
Research, development and engineering	24,103	27,198	72,837	83,138
Gain on settlement of contingency	0	0	0	(11,891)
Goodwill impairment	3,454	52,169	3,454	52,169
Other income	0	(1,263)	0	(1,263)
Total Expenses	129,379	169,973	375,002	407,669
Operating Earnings from Continuing Operations	49,523	2,123	145,621	107,031
Interest Income	(132)	(109)	(381)	(320)
Interest Expense	9,050	12,159	30,976	35,171
Loss on Extinguishment of Debt	0	0	946	0
Earnings (Loss) from Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes	40,605	(9,927)	114,080	72,180
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)	1,151	6,963	13,027	20,677
Earnings (Loss) from Continuing Operations Including Noncontrolling Interests	39,454	(16,890)	101,053	51,503
Earnings Attributable to Noncontrolling Interests	(241)	(214)	(1,207)	(628)
Earnings (Loss) from Continuing Operations Attributable to Esterline	39,213	(17,104)	99,846	50,875
Loss from Discontinued Operations Attributable to Esterline, Net of Tax	(975)	0	(975)	0
Equity in Net Earnings of Consolidated Subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Net Earnings (Loss) Attributable to Esterline	38,238	(17,104)	98,871	50,875
Comprehensive Income (Loss)	45,201	(81,625)	83,459	(46,809)
Parent
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]
Net Sales	0	0	0	0
Cost of Sales	0	0	0	0
Gross Profit	0	0	0	0
Expenses
Selling, general and administrative	0	0	0	0
Research, development and engineering	0	0	0	0
Gain on settlement of contingency	0	0	0	0
Goodwill impairment	0	0	0	0
Other income	0	0	0	0
Total Expenses	0	0	0	0
Operating Earnings from Continuing Operations	0	0	0	0
Interest Income	(4,028)	(3,574)	(11,680)	(10,559)
Interest Expense	6,489	8,648	23,722	26,311
Loss on Extinguishment of Debt	0	0	946	0
Earnings (Loss) from Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes	(2,461)	(5,074)	(12,988)	(15,752)
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)	(671)	(4,058)	(2,894)	(6,087)
Earnings (Loss) from Continuing Operations Including Noncontrolling Interests	(1,790)	(1,016)	(10,094)	(9,665)
Earnings Attributable to Noncontrolling Interests	0	0	0	0
Earnings (Loss) from Continuing Operations Attributable to Esterline	(1,790)	(1,016)	(10,094)	(9,665)
Loss from Discontinued Operations Attributable to Esterline, Net of Tax	(975)	0	(975)	0
Equity in Net Earnings of Consolidated Subsidiaries	41,003	(16,088)	109,940	60,540
Net Earnings (Loss) Attributable to Esterline	38,238	(17,104)	98,871	50,875
Comprehensive Income (Loss)	45,816	(76,776)	87,090	(42,128)
Guarantor Subsidiaries
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]
Net Sales	216,949	227,022	653,959	670,767
Cost of Sales	132,786	144,787	405,830	419,969
Gross Profit	84,163	82,235	248,129	250,798
Expenses
Selling, general and administrative	38,045	35,862	112,881	107,639
Research, development and engineering	12,684	13,062	37,448	38,080
Gain on settlement of contingency	0	0	0	0
Goodwill impairment	0	0	0	0
Other income	0	0	0	0
Total Expenses	50,729	48,924	150,329	145,719
Operating Earnings from Continuing Operations	33,434	33,311	97,800	105,079
Interest Income	(2,028)	(5,090)	(5,723)	(12,468)
Interest Expense	7,052	7,396	20,019	20,613
Loss on Extinguishment of Debt	0	0	0	0
Earnings (Loss) from Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes	28,410	31,005	83,504	96,934
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)	6,264	22,476	15,178	32,840
Earnings (Loss) from Continuing Operations Including Noncontrolling Interests	22,146	8,529	68,326	64,094
Earnings Attributable to Noncontrolling Interests	0	0	0	0
Earnings (Loss) from Continuing Operations Attributable to Esterline	22,146	8,529	68,326	64,094
Loss from Discontinued Operations Attributable to Esterline, Net of Tax	0	0	0	0
Equity in Net Earnings of Consolidated Subsidiaries	294	2,080	677	10,791
Net Earnings (Loss) Attributable to Esterline	22,440	10,609	69,003	74,885
Comprehensive Income (Loss)	22,610	10,140	68,102	74,733
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]
Net Sales	262,068	260,229	784,389	793,626
Cost of Sales	167,329	170,368	511,895	529,724
Gross Profit	94,739	89,861	272,494	263,902
Expenses
Selling, general and administrative	63,777	56,007	185,830	177,877
Research, development and engineering	11,419	14,136	35,389	45,058
Gain on settlement of contingency	0	0	0	(11,891)
Goodwill impairment	3,454	52,169	3,454	52,169
Other income	0	(1,263)	0	(1,263)
Total Expenses	78,650	121,049	224,673	261,950
Operating Earnings from Continuing Operations	16,089	(31,188)	47,821	1,952
Interest Income	(13,198)	(14,319)	(41,022)	(47,717)
Interest Expense	14,631	18,989	45,279	58,671
Loss on Extinguishment of Debt	0	0	0	0
Earnings (Loss) from Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes	14,656	(35,858)	43,564	(9,002)
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)	(4,442)	(11,455)	743	(6,076)
Earnings (Loss) from Continuing Operations Including Noncontrolling Interests	19,098	(24,403)	42,821	(2,926)
Earnings Attributable to Noncontrolling Interests	(241)	(214)	(1,207)	(628)
Earnings (Loss) from Continuing Operations Attributable to Esterline	18,857	(24,617)	41,614	(3,554)
Loss from Discontinued Operations Attributable to Esterline, Net of Tax	0	0	0	0
Equity in Net Earnings of Consolidated Subsidiaries	50	(50)	80	(140)
Net Earnings (Loss) Attributable to Esterline	18,907	(24,667)	41,694	(3,694)
Comprehensive Income (Loss)	26,689	(83,910)	35,100	(101,142)
Consolidation, Eliminations
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]
Net Sales	(949)	(1,302)	(2,756)	(2,731)
Cost of Sales	(949)	(1,302)	(2,756)	(2,731)
Gross Profit	0	0	0	0
Expenses
Selling, general and administrative	0	0	0	0
Research, development and engineering	0	0	0	0
Gain on settlement of contingency	0	0	0	0
Goodwill impairment	0	0	0	0
Other income	0	0	0	0
Total Expenses	0	0	0	0
Operating Earnings from Continuing Operations	0	0	0	0
Interest Income	19,122	22,874	58,044	70,424
Interest Expense	(19,122)	(22,874)	(58,044)	(70,424)
Loss on Extinguishment of Debt	0	0	0	0
Earnings (Loss) from Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes	0	0	0	0
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)	0	0	0	0
Earnings (Loss) from Continuing Operations Including Noncontrolling Interests	0	0	0	0
Earnings Attributable to Noncontrolling Interests	0	0	0	0
Earnings (Loss) from Continuing Operations Attributable to Esterline	0	0	0	0
Loss from Discontinued Operations Attributable to Esterline, Net of Tax	0	0	0	0
Equity in Net Earnings of Consolidated Subsidiaries	(41,347)	14,058	(110,697)	(71,191)
Net Earnings (Loss) Attributable to Esterline	(41,347)	14,058	(110,697)	(71,191)
Comprehensive Income (Loss)	$ (49,914)	$ 68,921	$ (106,833)	$ 21,728