Segments (Segment Information And Reconciliations To Consolidated Amounts) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Sep. 29, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Oct. 01, 2011	Jul. 02, 2011	Apr. 02, 2011	Jan. 01, 2011	Sep. 29, 2012	Oct. 01, 2011	Oct. 02, 2010
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 632,727	$ 611,221	$ 624,970	$ 600,618	$ 619,061	$ 582,959	$ 574,226	$ 554,434	$ 2,469,536	$ 2,330,680	$ 2,114,252
Total operating profit									273,425	246,420	216,442
Operating profit (loss) and margins									11.10%	10.60%	10.20%
Interest									(34,312)	(35,666)	(38,742)
Equity-based compensation expense									(6,226)	(6,952)	(5,445)
Corporate expenses and other									(24,046)	(20,017)	(22,819)
Earnings before income taxes									208,841	183,785	149,436
Depreciation and amortization									100,816	96,327	91,216
Depreciation and amortization before corporate items									98,402	94,369	89,622
Identifiable assets	3,105,907				2,842,967				3,105,907	2,842,967	2,712,134
Identifiable assets before corporate items	3,071,094				2,811,749				3,071,094	2,811,749	2,671,244
Capital expenditures									107,030	83,695	65,949
Capital expenditures before corporate items	103,771				82,375				103,771	82,375	65,949
Aircraft Controls [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales									963,421	850,490	756,550
Total operating profit									104,582	83,776	76,374
Operating profit (loss) and margins									10.90%	9.90%	10.10%
Depreciation and amortization									42,774	40,945	37,211
Identifiable assets	1,194,742				1,110,771				1,194,742	1,110,771	1,028,213
Capital expenditures									67,507	51,727	30,449
Space And Defense Controls [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales									358,755	355,762	325,474
Total operating profit									42,854	49,245	35,844
Operating profit (loss) and margins									11.90%	13.80%	11.00%
Depreciation and amortization									11,996	11,349	10,690
Identifiable assets	423,838				342,093				423,838	342,093	349,987
Capital expenditures									10,270	11,589	7,315
Industrial Systems [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales									633,713	629,312	545,672
Total operating profit									63,243	62,805	48,109
Operating profit (loss) and margins									10.00%	10.00%	8.80%
Depreciation and amortization									23,408	23,194	24,461
Identifiable assets	760,829				731,193				760,829	731,193	684,021
Capital expenditures									16,525	11,702	12,478
Components [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales									374,081	353,142	359,992
Total operating profit									57,303	50,353	60,159
Operating profit (loss) and margins									15.30%	14.30%	16.70%
Depreciation and amortization									9,123	7,409	6,605
Identifiable assets	457,254				384,409				457,254	384,409	362,417
Capital expenditures									7,071	4,620	3,961
Medical Devices [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales									139,566	141,974	126,564
Total operating profit									5,443	241	(4,044)
Operating profit (loss) and margins									3.90%	0.20%	(3.20%)
Depreciation and amortization									11,101	11,472	10,655
Identifiable assets	234,431				243,283				234,431	243,283	246,606
Capital expenditures									2,398	2,737	11,746
Corporate [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Depreciation and amortization									2,414	1,958	1,594
Identifiable assets	34,813				31,218				34,813	31,218	40,890
Capital expenditures									$ 3,259	$ 1,320	$ 0