SELECTED FINANCIAL STATEMENT INFORMATION (Details Textuals) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
Oct. 31, 2014	Oct. 31, 2013	Oct. 31, 2012
Property, plant and equipment, net	$ 93,865,000us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet	$ 97,737,000us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet	$ 80,518,000us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet
Depreciation and amortization	47,757,000	36,790,000	30,656,000
Assets under capital lease	4,600,000us-gaap_CapitalLeasedAssetsGross	5,500,000us-gaap_CapitalLeasedAssetsGross
Assets under capital lease, accumulated depreciation	1,000,000	1,100,000
Total customer rebates and credits deducted within net sales	8,300,000	8,300,000	2,800,000
Costs Incurred On Uncompleted Percentage Of Completion Contracts	24,437,000	22,548,000
Defined Contribution Plan, Employer Matching Contribution, Percent of Match	50.00%
Defined Contribution Plan, Employer Matching Contribution, Percent of Employees' Gross Pay	6.00%
Contributions to the plan charged	5,300,000	4,300,000	3,800,000
Deferred compensation plans	71,449,000us-gaap_DeferredCompensationPlanAssets	57,640,000us-gaap_DeferredCompensationPlanAssets
Estimated Earnings On Uncompleted Percentage Of Completion Contracts	11,747,000	25,391,000
Billings To Date On Uncompleted Percentage Of Completion Contracts	29,829,000	40,676,000
Costs in Excess of Billings, Current	8,161,000	9,540,000
Billings in Excess of Cost, Current	1,806,000us-gaap_BillingsInExcessOfCostCurrent	2,277,000us-gaap_BillingsInExcessOfCostCurrent
Corporate Owned Life Insurance [Member]
Deferred compensation plans	65,900,000	52,700,000
Other Deferred Compensation Plan [Member]
Employee related deferred compensation plans, specified as other long-term liabilities	5,500,000	5,000,000
Leadership Compensation Plan [Member]
Employee related deferred compensation plans, specified as other long-term liabilities	65,000,000	51,900,000
Tooling [Member]
Property, plant and equipment, net	6,000,000	5,700,000
Depreciation and amortization	2,400,000	2,200,000	2,100,000
Property, Plant and Equipment, Exclusive of Tooling [Member]
Depreciation and amortization	$ 17,100,000	$ 13,400,000	$ 11,600,000

The total customer rebates and credits expense deducted within net sales.

No definition available.

Name:	hei_AccruedCustomerRebatesAndCreditsExpense
Namespace Prefix:	hei_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Billings to date on uncompleted percentage of completion contracts.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	hei_BillingsToDateOnUncompletedPercentageOfCompletionContracts
Namespace Prefix:	hei_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Costs incurred on uncompleted percentage-of-completion contracts.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	hei_CostsIncurredOnUncompletedPercentageOfCompletionContracts
Namespace Prefix:	hei_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Estimated earnings on uncompleted percentage-of-completion contracts.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	hei_EstimatedEarningsOnUncompletedPercentageOfCompletionContracts
Namespace Prefix:	hei_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Liability attributable to (i) billings in excess of costs under the percentage of completion contract accounting method representing the difference between contractually invoiced amounts (billings) and revenue recognized based, for example, on costs incurred to estimated total costs at period end or (ii) contractually invoiced amounts (billings) in excess of costs incurred and accumulated under the completed contract accounting method that are expected to be realized within one year or one operating cycle, whichever is longer, from the reporting date.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 605

-SubTopic 35

-Section 45

-Paragraph 3

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6802688&loc=d3e57788-111642

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 605

-SubTopic 35

-Section 45

-Paragraph 5

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6802688&loc=d3e57807-111642

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 605

-SubTopic 35

-Section 45

-Paragraph 4

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6802688&loc=d3e57795-111642

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_BillingsInExcessOfCostCurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount before accumulated depreciation of leased physical assets used in the normal conduct of business to produce goods and services.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CapitalLeasedAssetsGross
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The total charge for the use of long-lived depreciable assets subject to a lease meeting the criteria for capitalization.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 840

-SubTopic 30

-Section 45

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6455314&loc=d3e45014-112735

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 840

-SubTopic 10

-Section 55

-Paragraph 40

-Subparagraph (Note 2)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6584154&loc=d3e38371-112697

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CapitalLeasesLesseeBalanceSheetAssetsByMajorClassAccumulatedDeprecation
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of receivable reflecting the cost incurred on uncompleted contracts in excess of related billings which is expected to be collected within one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 605

-SubTopic 35

-Section 45

-Paragraph 5

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6802688&loc=d3e57807-111642

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 605

-SubTopic 35

-Section 45

-Paragraph 4

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6802688&loc=d3e57795-111642

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.3(c)(3))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 3

-Subparagraph c(3)

-Article 5

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CostsInExcessOfBillingsOnUncompletedContractsOrProgramsExpectedToBeCollectedWithinOneYear
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The amount of payment into the fund established for purposes of making future disbursements to the individual in accordance with the terms and understanding of the deferred compensation arrangement.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DeferredCompensationArrangementWithIndividualEmployerContribution
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Aggregate carrying value as of the balance sheet date of the liabilities for all deferred compensation arrangements payable beyond one year (or the operating cycle, if longer).

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DeferredCompensationLiabilityClassifiedNoncurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Carrying amount as of the balance sheet date of assets held under deferred compensation agreements.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.17)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 17

-Article 5

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DeferredCompensationPlanAssets
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Percentage of employees' gross pay for which the employer contributes a matching contribution to a defined contribution plan.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedContributionPlanEmployerMatchingContributionPercent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage employer matches of the employee's percentage contribution matched.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedContributionPlanEmployerMatchingContributionPercentOfMatch
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The aggregate expense recognized in the current period that allocates the cost of tangible assets, intangible assets, or depleting assets to periods that benefit from use of the assets.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 230

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 28

-Subparagraph (b)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=31042434&loc=d3e3602-108585

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DepreciationDepletionAndAmortization
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount after accumulated depreciation, depletion and amortization of physical assets used in the normal conduct of business to produce goods and services and not intended for resale. Examples include, but are not limited to, land, buildings, machinery and equipment, office equipment, and furniture and fixtures.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 360

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6391035&loc=d3e2868-110229

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.13)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 13

-Subparagraph a

-Article 5

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 03

-Paragraph 8

-Article 7

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DeferredCompensationArrangementWithIndividualShareBasedPaymentsByTypeOfDeferredCompensationAxis=hei_LeadershipCompensationPlanMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DeferredCompensationArrangementWithIndividualShareBasedPaymentsByTypeOfDeferredCompensationAxis=hei_OtherDeferredCompensationPlanMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis=hei_CorporateOwnedLifeInsuranceMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis=hei_PropertyPlantandEquipmentExclusiveofToolingMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis=us-gaap_ToolsDiesAndMoldsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: