Note 8: Restructuring and Other Costs (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended			9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Charges				$ 360,000,000
Restructuring Charges Continuing Operations				332,000,000
Restructuring Charges Discontinued Operations				28,000,000
Restructuring Reserve, Two Years Prior Actions	34,000,000			34,000,000
Current Year Actions [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Reserve Beginning Balance	103,000,000
Restructuring Charges	123,000,000
Restructuring Reserve Settled	(66,000,000)
Restructuring Reserve Ending Balance	179,000,000	103,000,000		179,000,000
Restructuring and Related Cost, Expected Cost				485,000,000
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost	123,000,000	71,000,000	116,000,000	310,000,000
Restructuring And Related Cost Expected Remaining	175,000,000			175,000,000
Restructuring Reserve Assumed	19,000,000			19,000,000
Prior Year Actions [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Reserve Beginning Balance	82,000,000
Restructuring Charges	8,000,000
Restructuring Reserve Settled	(27,000,000)
Restructuring Reserve Ending Balance	63,000,000	82,000,000		63,000,000
Restructuring and Related Cost, Expected Cost				376,000,000
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost	8,000,000	21,000,000	20,000,000	49,000,000	286,000,000
Restructuring And Related Cost Expected Remaining	41,000,000			41,000,000
Otis [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Charges				105,000,000
Otis [Member] | Current Year Actions [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and Related Cost, Expected Cost				113,000,000
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost	38,000,000	31,000,000	23,000,000
Restructuring And Related Cost Expected Remaining	21,000,000			21,000,000
Otis [Member] | Prior Year Actions [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and Related Cost, Expected Cost				101,000,000
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost	4,000,000	4,000,000	6,000,000		76,000,000
Restructuring And Related Cost Expected Remaining	11,000,000			11,000,000
UTC Climate Controls and Security [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Charges				98,000,000
UTC Climate Controls and Security [Member] | Current Year Actions [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and Related Cost, Expected Cost				122,000,000
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost	24,000,000	24,000,000	25,000,000
Restructuring And Related Cost Expected Remaining	49,000,000			49,000,000
UTC Climate Controls and Security [Member] | Prior Year Actions [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and Related Cost, Expected Cost				121,000,000
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost	2,000,000	13,000,000	9,000,000		93,000,000
Restructuring And Related Cost Expected Remaining	4,000,000			4,000,000
Pratt and Whitney [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Charges				57,000,000
Pratt and Whitney [Member] | Current Year Actions [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and Related Cost, Expected Cost				74,000,000
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost	2,000,000	16,000,000	34,000,000
Restructuring And Related Cost Expected Remaining	22,000,000			22,000,000
Pratt and Whitney [Member] | Prior Year Actions [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and Related Cost, Expected Cost				47,000,000
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost	1,000,000	1,000,000	2,000,000		37,000,000
Restructuring And Related Cost Expected Remaining	6,000,000			6,000,000
UTC Aerospace Systems [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Charges				40,000,000
UTC Aerospace Systems [Member] | Current Year Actions [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and Related Cost, Expected Cost				84,000,000
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost	38,000,000	2,000,000	1,000,000
Restructuring And Related Cost Expected Remaining	43,000,000			43,000,000
UTC Aerospace Systems [Member] | Prior Year Actions [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and Related Cost, Expected Cost				8,000,000
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost	0	0	0		8,000,000
Restructuring And Related Cost Expected Remaining	0			0
Sikorsky [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Charges				18,000,000
Sikorsky [Member] | Current Year Actions [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and Related Cost, Expected Cost	51,000,000
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost	11,000,000	0	0
Restructuring And Related Cost Expected Remaining	40,000,000			40,000,000
Sikorsky [Member] | Prior Year Actions [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and Related Cost, Expected Cost				75,000,000
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost	1,000,000	2,000,000	3,000,000		51,000,000
Restructuring And Related Cost Expected Remaining	18,000,000			18,000,000
Eliminations and other [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Charges				14,000,000
Eliminations and other [Member] | Current Year Actions [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and Related Cost, Expected Cost				14,000,000
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost	10,000,000	(2,000,000)	6,000,000
Restructuring And Related Cost Expected Remaining	0			0
Discontinued Operations [Member] | Current Year Actions [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and Related Cost, Expected Cost				27,000,000
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost	0	0	27,000,000
Restructuring And Related Cost Expected Remaining	0			0
Discontinued Operations [Member] | Prior Year Actions [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and Related Cost, Expected Cost				24,000,000
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost	0	1,000,000	0		21,000,000
Restructuring And Related Cost Expected Remaining	2,000,000			2,000,000
Cost Of Sales [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Charges				191,000,000
Cost Of Sales [Member] | Current Year Actions [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost				166,000,000
Cost Of Sales [Member] | Prior Year Actions [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost				25,000,000
Selling General and Administrative [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Charges				141,000,000
Selling General and Administrative [Member] | Current Year Actions [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost				117,000,000
Selling General and Administrative [Member] | Prior Year Actions [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost				23,000,000
Discontinued Operations [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Charges				(28,000,000)
Discontinued Operations [Member] | Current Year Actions [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost				27,000,000
Discontinued Operations [Member] | Prior Year Actions [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost				1,000,000
Employee Severance [Member] | Current Year Actions [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Reserve Beginning Balance	93,000,000
Restructuring Charges	109,000,000
Restructuring Reserve Settled	(58,000,000)
Restructuring Reserve Ending Balance	163,000,000	93,000,000		163,000,000
Restructuring and Related Cost, Expected Cost				321,000,000
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost	109,000,000	59,000,000	96,000,000
Restructuring And Related Cost Expected Remaining	57,000,000			57,000,000
Restructuring Reserve Assumed	19,000,000			19,000,000
Employee Severance [Member] | Prior Year Actions [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Reserve Beginning Balance	70,000,000
Restructuring Charges	4,000,000
Restructuring Reserve Settled	(19,000,000)
Restructuring Reserve Ending Balance	55,000,000	70,000,000		55,000,000
Restructuring and Related Cost, Expected Cost				304,000,000
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost	4,000,000	18,000,000	10,000,000		259,000,000
Restructuring And Related Cost Expected Remaining	13,000,000			13,000,000
Asset Write Downs [Member] | Current Year Actions [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Reserve Beginning Balance	0
Restructuring Charges	1,000,000
Restructuring Reserve Settled	(1,000,000)
Restructuring Reserve Ending Balance	0	0		0
Restructuring and Related Cost, Expected Cost				14,000,000
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost	1,000,000	1,000,000	12,000,000
Restructuring And Related Cost Expected Remaining	0			0
Restructuring Reserve Assumed	0			0
Asset Write Downs [Member] | Prior Year Actions [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Reserve Beginning Balance	0
Restructuring Charges	0
Restructuring Reserve Settled	0
Restructuring Reserve Ending Balance	0	0		0
Restructuring and Related Cost, Expected Cost				4,000,000
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost	0	0	0		4,000,000
Restructuring And Related Cost Expected Remaining	0			0
Facility Exit [Member] | Current Year Actions [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Reserve Beginning Balance	10,000,000
Restructuring Charges	13,000,000
Restructuring Reserve Settled	(7,000,000)
Restructuring Reserve Ending Balance	16,000,000	10,000,000		16,000,000
Restructuring and Related Cost, Expected Cost				150,000,000
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost	13,000,000	11,000,000	8,000,000
Restructuring And Related Cost Expected Remaining	118,000,000			118,000,000
Restructuring Reserve Assumed	0			0
Facility Exit [Member] | Prior Year Actions [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Reserve Beginning Balance	12,000,000
Restructuring Charges	4,000,000
Restructuring Reserve Settled	(8,000,000)
Restructuring Reserve Ending Balance	8,000,000	12,000,000		8,000,000
Restructuring and Related Cost, Expected Cost				68,000,000
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost	4,000,000	3,000,000	10,000,000		23,000,000
Restructuring And Related Cost Expected Remaining	$ 28,000,000			$ 28,000,000
Restructuring And Other Costs, Current Year Actions [Member]
Restructuring Details [Line Items]
Anticipated Net Workforce Reduction Of Hourly And Salary Employees				approximately 5,000 hourly and salaried employees
Anticipated Net Square Feet Of Facilities To Be Exited				approximately 2.2 million net square feet
Completed Net Workforce Reduction Of Hourly And Salary Employees				approximately 2,000 employees
Completed Net Square Feet Of Facilities Exited				approximately 100,000 net square feet
Restructuring And Other Costs, Prior Year Actions [Member]
Restructuring Details [Line Items]
Anticipated Net Workforce Reduction Of Hourly And Salary Employees				5,000 employees
Anticipated Net Square Feet Of Facilities To Be Exited				2 million net square feet
Completed Net Workforce Reduction Of Hourly And Salary Employees				approximately 4,000 employees
Completed Net Square Feet Of Facilities Exited				approximately 100,000 net square feet