Joint Venture	12 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018
Equity Method Investments and Joint Ventures [Abstract]
Joint Venture	Note 5. Joint venture On January 4, 2016, Woodward and General Electric Company (“GE”), acting through its GE Aviation business unit, consummated the formation of a strategic joint venture between Woodward and GE (the “JV”) to develop, manufacture and support fuel systems for specified existing and all future GE commercial aircraft engines that produce thrust in excess of fifty thousand pounds. As part of the JV formation, Woodward contributed to the JV certain contractual rights and intellectual property applicable to the existing GE commercial aircraft engine programs within the scope of the JV. Woodward had no initial cost basis in the JV because Woodward had no cost basis in the contractual rights and intellectual property contributed to the JV. GE purchased from Woodward a 50% ownership interest in the JV for a $250,000 cash payment to Woodward. In addition, GE will pay contingent consideration to Woodward consisting of fifteen annual payments of $4,894 per year, which began on January 4, 2017, subject to certain claw-back conditions. Woodward received annual payments of $4,894 during the second quarter of each of the fiscal years ended September 30, 2018 and September 30, 2017, which were recorded as deferred income and included in Net cash provided by operating activities under the caption “Other” on the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows. Neither Woodward nor GE contributed any tangible assets to the JV. Woodward determined that the JV formation was not the culmination of an earnings event because Woodward has significant performance obligations to support the future operations of the JV. Therefore, Woodward recorded as deferred income the $250,000 consideration received from GE in January of 2016 for its purchase of a 50% equity interest in the JV. The $250,000 deferred income will be recognized as an increase to net sales in proportion to revenue realized on sales of applicable fuel systems within the scope of the JV in a particular period as a percentage of total revenue expected to be realized by Woodward over the estimated remaining lives of the underlying commercial aircraft engine programs assigned to the JV. Unamortized deferred income recorded in connection with the JV formation included accrued liabilities of $7,087 as of September 30, 2018 and $6,451 as of September 30, 2017, and other liabilities of $235,300 as of September 30, 2018 and $236,896 as of September 30, 2017. Amortization of the deferred income recognized as an increase to sales was $5,854 for the twelve months ended September 30, 2018, $6,286 for the twelve months ended September 30, 2017, and $5,261 for the nine-months ended September 30, 2016. Woodward and GE jointly manage the JV and any significant decisions and/or actions of the JV require the mutual consent of both parties. Neither Woodward nor GE has a controlling financial interest in the JV, but both Woodward and GE do have the ability to significantly influence the operating and financial decisions of the JV. Therefore, Woodward is accounting for its 50% ownership interest in the JV using the equity method of accounting. The JV is a related party to Woodward. Other income includes income of $3,339 for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2018, income of $2,568 for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2017, and income of $6,204 for the nine-months ended September 30, 2016 related to Woodward’s equity interest in the earnings of the JV. Woodward received no cash distributions from the JV during the fiscal years ended September 30, 2018 and September 30, 2016, compared to a $2,500 cash distribution from the JV during the fiscal year ended September 30, 2017, which was included in Net cash provided by operating activities under the caption “Other” on the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows. Woodward’s net investment in the JV, which is included in other assets, was $9,611 as of September 30, 2018 and $6,272 as of September 30, 2017. Woodward’s net sales include $72,511 for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2018 of sales to the JV, compared to $70,234 for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2017 and $46,973 for the nine-months ended September 30, 2016. Woodward recorded a reduction to sales of $26,023 for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2018 related to royalties paid to the JV by Woodward on sales by Woodward directly to third party aftermarket customers, compared to $26,133 for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2017 and $21,391 for the nine-months ended September 30, 2016. The Consolidated Balance Sheets include “Accounts receivable” of $10,499 at September 30, 2018, and $8,554 at September 30, 2017, related to amounts the JV owed Woodward, and include “Accounts payable” of $2,944 at September 30, 2018, and $6,741 at September 30, 2017, related to amounts Woodward owed the JV.

Note 5. Joint venture

On January 4, 2016, Woodward and General Electric Company (“GE”), acting through its GE Aviation business unit, consummated the formation of a strategic joint venture between Woodward and GE (the “JV”) to develop, manufacture and support fuel systems for specified existing and all future GE commercial aircraft engines that produce thrust in excess of fifty thousand pounds.

As part of the JV formation, Woodward contributed to the JV certain contractual rights and intellectual property applicable to the existing GE commercial aircraft engine programs within the scope of the JV. Woodward had no initial cost basis in the JV because Woodward had no cost basis in the contractual rights and intellectual property contributed to the JV. GE purchased from Woodward a 50% ownership interest in the JV for a $250,000 cash payment to Woodward. In addition, GE will pay contingent consideration to Woodward consisting of fifteen annual payments of $4,894 per year, which began on January 4, 2017, subject to certain claw-back conditions. Woodward received annual payments of $4,894 during the second quarter of each of the fiscal years ended September 30, 2018 and September 30, 2017, which were recorded as deferred income and included in Net cash provided by operating activities under the caption “Other” on the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows. Neither Woodward nor GE contributed any tangible assets to the JV.

Woodward determined that the JV formation was not the culmination of an earnings event because Woodward has significant performance obligations to support the future operations of the JV. Therefore, Woodward recorded as deferred income the $250,000 consideration received from GE in January of 2016 for its purchase of a 50% equity interest in the JV. The $250,000 deferred income will be recognized as an increase to net sales in proportion to revenue realized on sales of applicable fuel systems within the scope of the JV in a particular period as a percentage of total revenue expected to be realized by Woodward over the estimated remaining lives of the underlying commercial aircraft engine programs assigned to the JV. Unamortized deferred income recorded in connection with the JV formation included accrued liabilities of $7,087 as of September 30, 2018 and $6,451 as of September 30, 2017, and other liabilities of $235,300 as of September 30, 2018 and $236,896 as of September 30, 2017. Amortization of the deferred income recognized as an increase to sales was $5,854 for the twelve months ended September 30, 2018, $6,286 for the twelve months ended September 30, 2017, and $5,261 for the nine-months ended September 30, 2016.

Woodward and GE jointly manage the JV and any significant decisions and/or actions of the JV require the mutual consent of both parties. Neither Woodward nor GE has a controlling financial interest in the JV, but both Woodward and GE do have the ability to significantly influence the operating and financial decisions of the JV. Therefore, Woodward is accounting for its 50% ownership interest in the JV using the equity method of accounting. The JV is a related party to Woodward. Other income includes income of $3,339 for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2018, income of $2,568 for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2017, and income of $6,204 for the nine-months ended September 30, 2016 related to Woodward’s equity interest in the earnings of the JV. Woodward received no cash distributions from the JV during the fiscal years ended September 30, 2018 and September 30, 2016, compared to a $2,500 cash distribution from the JV during the fiscal year ended September 30, 2017, which was included in Net cash provided by operating activities under the caption “Other” on the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows. Woodward’s net investment in the JV, which is included in other assets, was $9,611 as of September 30, 2018 and $6,272 as of September 30, 2017.

Woodward’s net sales include $72,511 for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2018 of sales to the JV, compared to $70,234 for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2017 and $46,973 for the nine-months ended September 30, 2016. Woodward recorded a reduction to sales of $26,023 for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2018 related to royalties paid to the JV by Woodward on sales by Woodward directly to third party aftermarket customers, compared to $26,133 for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2017 and $21,391 for the nine-months ended September 30, 2016. The Consolidated Balance Sheets include “Accounts receivable” of $10,499 at September 30, 2018, and $8,554 at September 30, 2017, related to amounts the JV owed Woodward, and include “Accounts payable” of $2,944 at September 30, 2018, and $6,741 at September 30, 2017, related to amounts Woodward owed the JV.