Principal Assumptions of Esterline, CMC and Other Non-U.S. Plans (Detail)	11 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
Oct. 02, 2015	Oct. 31, 2014
Minimum
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Assumed long-term rate of return on plan assets	3.25%
Maximum
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Assumed long-term rate of return on plan assets	8.00%
Pension Plan \| Minimum \| Other Non-U.S Defined Benefit Pension Plans
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Discount rate	1.80%	2.00%
Rate of increase in future compensation levels	4.50%	4.50%
Assumed long-term rate of return on plan assets	3.25%	3.25%
Pension Plan \| Maximum \| Other Non-U.S Defined Benefit Pension Plans
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Discount rate	8.25%	8.75%
Rate of increase in future compensation levels	8.90%	8.83%
Assumed long-term rate of return on plan assets	8.00%	8.00%
Esterline Plans \| Pension Plan
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Discount rate	4.40%	4.25%
Rate of increase in future compensation levels	4.22%	4.21%
Assumed long-term rate of return on plan assets	7.00%	7.00%
Esterline Plans \| Other Postretirement Benefit Plan
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Discount rate	4.40%	4.25%
Initial weighted average health care trend rate	6.00%	6.00%
Ultimate weighted average health care trend rate	6.00%	6.00%
CMC Plans \| Pension Plan
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Discount rate	4.00%	4.10%
Rate of increase in future compensation levels	3.00%	3.00%
Assumed long-term rate of return on plan assets	5.70%	6.35%
CMC Plans \| Other Postretirement Benefit Plan
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Discount rate	4.00%	4.10%
Initial weighted average health care trend rate	3.70%	6.20%
Ultimate weighted average health care trend rate	3.10%	4.20%

The interest rate used to adjust for the time value of money.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 715

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (k)(1)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=58740216&loc=d3e1928-114920

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingNetPeriodicBenefitCostDiscountRate
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

An assumption as to the rate of return on plan assets reflecting the average rate of earnings expected on the funds invested or to be invested to provide for the benefits included in the benefit obligation.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Expected Long-Term Rate of Return on Plan Assets

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6512046

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 715

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (k)(3)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=58740216&loc=d3e1928-114920

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingNetPeriodicBenefitCostExpectedLongTermReturnOnAssets
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Expected rate of compensation increases (for pay-related plans).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 715

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (k)(2)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=58740216&loc=d3e1928-114920

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingNetPeriodicBenefitCostRateOfCompensationIncrease
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanDisclosureLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The assumed health care cost trend rate for the next year used to measure the expected cost of benefits covered by the plan (gross eligible charges). This is based upon the annual rate of change in the cost of health care benefits currently provided by the postretirement benefit plan, due to factors other than changes in the composition of the plan population by age and dependency status.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Health Care Cost Trend Rate

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6514820

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 715

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (l)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=58740216&loc=d3e1928-114920

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanHealthCareCostTrendRateAssumedForNextFiscalYear
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The ultimate trend rate for health care costs.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 715

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (l)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=58740216&loc=d3e1928-114920

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanUltimateHealthCareCostTrendRate
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RangeAxis=us-gaap_MinimumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RangeAxis=us-gaap_MaximumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis=us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedContributionPlanTypeAxis=us-gaap_ForeignPensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedContributionPlanNameAxis=esl_EsterlinePlansMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis=us-gaap_OtherPostretirementBenefitPlansDefinedBenefitMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedContributionPlanNameAxis=esl_CMCPlansMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: