Retirement Benefits (Schedule of Assumptions Used) (Details)	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010	Sep. 30, 2009
United States Pension Plans of US Entity, Defined Benefit [Member]
Weighted-average assumptions to determine benefit obligation at September 30:
Discount rate	5.55%	5.85%	5.50%
Defined Benefit Plan, Assumptions Used Calculating Benefit Obligation, Discount Rate Support, Methodology and Source Data	In the U.S., Woodward used a bond portfolio matching analysis based on recently traded, non-callable bonds rated AA or better, which have at least $50 million outstanding.
Rate of compensation increase	4.00%	4.00%	4.00%
Weighted-average assumptions to determine periodic benefit costs for years ending September 30:
Discount rate	5.85%	5.50%	6.50%
Rate of compensation increase	4.00%	4.00%
Long-term rate of return on plan assets	7.90%	7.50%	7.50%
United Kingdom Plan, Defined Benefit [Member]
Weighted-average assumptions to determine benefit obligation at September 30:
Discount rate	5.10%	4.90%	5.40%
Defined Benefit Plan, Assumptions Used Calculating Benefit Obligation, Discount Rate Support, Methodology and Source Data	In the United Kingdom, Woodward used the iBoxx AA-rated corporate bond index (applicable for bonds over 15 years) to determine a blended rate to use as the benchmark.
Rate of compensation increase	4.30%	4.30%	4.10%
Weighted-average assumptions to determine periodic benefit costs for years ending September 30:
Discount rate	4.90%	5.40%	6.90%
Rate of compensation increase	4.30%	4.10%	4.70%
Long-term rate of return on plan assets	6.00%	6.50%	6.50%
Japan Plan, Defined Benefit [Member]
Weighted-average assumptions to determine benefit obligation at September 30:
Discount rate	1.50%	1.25%	1.75%
Defined Benefit Plan, Assumptions Used Calculating Benefit Obligation, Discount Rate Support, Methodology and Source Data	In Japan, Woodward used Standard & Poors AA-rated corporate bond yields (applicable for bonds over 10 years) as the benchmark.
Rate of compensation increase	2.00%	2.00%	2.50%
Weighted-average assumptions to determine periodic benefit costs for years ending September 30:
Discount rate	1.25%	1.75%	1.90%
Rate of compensation increase	2.00%	2.50%	2.00%
Long-term rate of return on plan assets	3.00%	3.30%	3.11%
Switzerland Plan, Defined Benefit [Member]
Weighted-average assumptions to determine benefit obligation at September 30:
Discount rate	2.50%
Defined Benefit Plan, Assumptions Used Calculating Benefit Obligation, Discount Rate Support, Methodology and Source Data	In Switzerland, Woodward used high quality swap rates plus a credit spread of 0.36% as high quality swaps are available in Switzerland at various durations and trade at higher volumes than bonds.
Rate of compensation increase	2.00%
Weighted-average assumptions to determine periodic benefit costs for years ending September 30:
Discount rate	3.00%
Rate of compensation increase	2.00%
Long-term rate of return on plan assets	3.00%
Other Postretirement Benefit Plans, Defined Benefit [Member]
Weighted-average assumptions to determine benefit obligation at September 30:
Discount rate	5.54%	5.84%	5.50%
Weighted-average assumptions to determine periodic benefit costs for years ending September 30:
Discount rate	5.84%	5.50%	6.51%
United States Postretirement Benefit Plans of US Entity, Defined Benefit [Member]
Weighted-average assumptions to determine benefit obligation at September 30:
Defined Benefit Plan, Assumptions Used Calculating Benefit Obligation, Discount Rate Support, Methodology and Source Data	In the U.S., Woodward used a bond portfolio matching analysis based on recently traded, non-callable bonds rated AA or better, which have at least $50 million outstanding.