Summary of Unaudited Quarterly Financial Information (Detail) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	2 Months Ended	3 Months Ended											11 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Oct. 02, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Jul. 01, 2016	Apr. 01, 2016	Jan. 01, 2016	Sep. 25, 2015	Jul. 31, 2015	Jun. 26, 2015	May 01, 2015	Mar. 27, 2015	Jan. 30, 2015	Dec. 26, 2014	Oct. 02, 2015		Sep. 30, 2016		Oct. 02, 2015	[2]	Oct. 31, 2014
Quarterly Financial Information Disclosure [Abstract]
Net Sales	$ 349,627	$ 543,752	$ 517,092	$ 490,310	$ 441,477	$ 545,249	$ 490,022	$ 484,723	$ 494,042	$ 468,210	$ 440,758	$ 504,611	$ 1,774,449	[1]	$ 1,992,631	[1]	$ 2,002,793		$ 2,029,471	[1]
Gross profit	114,165	193,769	173,584	156,173	137,719	185,840	168,606	165,290	162,590	150,017	144,032	178,241	589,393		661,245		679,388		714,709
Earnings from continuing operations	20,704	52,045	38,046	16,996	9,864	40,267	29,868	28,222	21,498	24,931	24,595	34,475	96,665		116,951		127,895		165,029
Earnings (Loss) from discontinued operations	(17,718)	227	(8,690)	(2,023)	(4,780)	(19,285)	(1,371)	(558)	(1,688)	(14,600)	(16,276)	(5,876)	(37,053)		(15,266)		(40,319)		(62,611)
Net Earnings Attributable to Esterline	$ 2,986	$ 52,272	$ 29,356	$ 14,973	$ 5,084	$ 20,982	$ 28,497	$ 27,664	$ 19,810	$ 10,331	$ 8,319	$ 28,599	$ 59,612		$ 101,685		$ 87,576		$ 102,418
Continuing operations	$ 0.70	$ 1.77	$ 1.30	$ 0.58	$ 0.33	$ 1.36	$ 0.99	$ 0.92	$ 0.69	$ 0.80	$ 0.77	$ 1.09	$ 3.15		$ 3.97		$ 4.16		$ 5.19
Discontinued operations	(0.60)	0.01	(0.30)	(0.07)	(0.16)	(0.65)	(0.05)	(0.02)	(0.05)	(0.47)	(0.51)	(0.19)	(1.21)		(0.52)		(1.31)		(1.97)
Earnings (Loss) Per Share - Basic	0.10	1.78	1.00	0.51	0.17	0.71	0.94	0.90	0.64	0.33	0.26	0.90	1.94		3.45		2.85		3.22
Continuing operations	0.69	1.75	1.28	0.57	0.33	1.34	0.96	0.90	0.68	0.79	0.77	1.06	3.10		3.93		4.10		5.09
Discontinued operations	(0.59)	0.01	(0.29)	(0.07)	(0.16)	(0.64)	(0.04)	(0.02)	(0.05)	(0.46)	(0.51)	(0.18)	(1.19)		(0.51)		(1.29)		(1.93)
Earnings (Loss) Per Share - Diluted	$ 0.10	$ 1.76	$ 0.99	$ 0.50	$ 0.17	$ 0.70	$ 0.92	$ 0.88	$ 0.63	$ 0.33	$ 0.26	$ 0.88	$ 1.91		$ 3.42		$ 2.81		$ 3.16

[1] Based on country from which the sale originated and the sale was recorded.

[2] (Recast)