Note 11 - Senior Notes and Credit Facilities - Senior Notes and Credit Facilities Balances (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		Jul. 31, 2018	Oct. 31, 2017
Senior Secured Term Loan [Member]
Long-term Line of Credit, Total	[1],[2]	$ 73,850	$ 72,987
Senior Secured Notes [Member]
Senior debt	[1],[2]	1,092,363	1,090,636
Senior Secured Notes [Member] | The 9.50% 2020 Notes [Member]
Senior debt	[1],[2]	74,508	74,350
Senior Secured Notes [Member] | The 2.0% 2021 Notes [Member]
Senior debt	[1],[2]	53,085	53,058
Senior Secured Notes [Member] | The 5.0% 2021 Notes [Member]
Senior debt	[1],[2]	135,105	133,732
Senior Secured Notes [Member] | The 10.0% 2022 Notes [Member]
Senior debt	[1],[2]	435,158	434,543
Senior Secured Notes [Member] | The 10.5% 2024 Notes [Member]
Senior debt	[1],[2]	394,507	394,953
Unsecured Senior Notes Excluding Senior Amortizing Notes and Senior Exchangeable Notes [Member]
Senior debt	[1],[2]	144,937	366,250
Unsecured Senior Notes Excluding Senior Amortizing Notes and Senior Exchangeable Notes [Member] | The 7.0% 2019 Notes [Member]
Senior debt	[1],[2]		131,957
Unsecured Senior Notes Excluding Senior Amortizing Notes and Senior Exchangeable Notes [Member] | The 8.0% Senior Notes Due 2019 [Member]
Senior debt	[1],[2],[3]		234,293
Unsecured Senior Notes Excluding Senior Amortizing Notes and Senior Exchangeable Notes [Member] | Thirteen and a Half Percent Senior Notes Due 2026 [Member]
Senior debt	[1],[2]	101,607
Unsecured Senior Notes Excluding Senior Amortizing Notes and Senior Exchangeable Notes [Member] | Five Percent Senior Notes due 2040 [Member]
Senior debt	[1],[2]	43,330
Senior Amortizing Notes [Member] | The 11.0% 2017 Amortizing Note [Member]
Senior debt	[1],[2]		2,045
Senior Amortizing Notes [Member] | Senior Exchangeable Notes Due 2017 [Member]
Senior debt	[1],[2]		53,919
Senior Unsecured Term Loan Credit Facility [Member] | Senior Unsecured Term Loan Credit Facility Due 2027 [Member]
Long-term Line of Credit, Total	[1],[2]	201,610
Unsecured Revolving Credit Facility [Member]
Long-term Line of Credit, Total	[1],[2]	$ 26,000	$ 52,000

[1] "Notes payable" on our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets as of July 31, 2018 and October 31, 2017 consists of the total senior secured, senior and senior amortizing and senior exchangeable notes shown above, as well as accrued interest of $17.9 million and $41.8 million, respectively.

[2] Unamortized debt issuance costs at July 31, 2018 and October 31, 2017 were $15.3 million and $16.1 million, respectively.

[3] $26.0 million of 8.0% Senior Notes due 2019 are owned by a wholly-owned consolidated subsidiary of HEI. Therefore, in accordance with GAAP, such notes are not reflected on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets of HEI.