Summary of Unaudited Quarterly Financial Information (Detail) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								11 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Sep. 29, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Jul. 01, 2016	Apr. 01, 2016	Jan. 01, 2016	Oct. 02, 2015		Sep. 29, 2017		Sep. 30, 2016		Oct. 02, 2015	[2]
Quarterly Financial Information Disclosure [Abstract]
Net Sales	$ 531,527	$ 503,753	$ 509,182	$ 457,733	$ 543,752	$ 517,092	$ 490,310	$ 441,477	$ 1,774,449	[1]	$ 2,002,195	[1]	$ 1,992,631	[1]	$ 2,002,793
Gross profit	174,864	170,629	175,919	144,047	193,769	173,584	156,173	137,719	589,393		665,459		661,245		679,388
Earnings from continuing operations	36,738	31,288	35,147	21,525	52,045	38,046	16,996	9,864	96,665		124,698		116,951		127,895
Earnings (loss) from discontinued operations	(1,126)	(815)	(34)	(5,336)	227	(8,690)	(2,023)	(4,780)	(37,053)		(7,311)		(15,266)		(40,319)
Net Earnings Attributable to Esterline	$ 35,612	$ 30,473	$ 35,113	$ 16,189	$ 52,272	$ 29,356	$ 14,973	$ 5,084	$ 59,612		$ 117,387		$ 101,685		$ 87,576
Continuing operations	$ 1.23	$ 1.05	$ 1.18	$ 0.73	$ 1.77	$ 1.30	$ 0.58	$ 0.33	$ 3.15		$ 4.19		$ 3.97		$ 4.16
Discontinued operations	(0.04)	(0.03)	0	(0.18)	0.01	(0.30)	(0.07)	(0.16)	(1.21)		(0.25)		(0.52)		(1.31)
Earnings (Loss) Per Share - Basic	1.19	1.02	1.18	0.55	1.78	1.00	0.51	0.17	1.94		3.94		3.45		2.85
Continuing operations	1.22	1.04	1.17	0.72	1.75	1.28	0.57	0.33	3.10		4.15		3.93		4.10
Discontinued operations	(0.04)	(0.03)	0	(0.18)	0.01	(0.29)	(0.07)	(0.16)	(1.19)		(0.24)		(0.51)		(1.29)
Earnings (Loss) Per Share - Diluted	$ 1.18	$ 1.01	$ 1.17	$ 0.54	$ 1.76	$ 0.99	$ 0.50	$ 0.17	$ 1.91		$ 3.91		$ 3.42		$ 2.81

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

[2] (Recast)