Carrying value as of the balance sheet date of accrued customer rebates and credits.

No definition available.

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

- Definition

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

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage of voting equity interests acquired at the acquisition date in the business combination.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 805

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (c)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25497992&loc=d3e1392-128463

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis=hei_AeroworksMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis=hei_HarterMember
Namespace Prefix:
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SELECTED FINANCIAL STATEMENT INFORMATION (Details Textuals) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Jul. 31, 2015	Jul. 31, 2014	Jul. 31, 2015	Jul. 31, 2014	Oct. 31, 2014
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Accrued customer rebates and credits	$ 7.8		$ 7.8		$ 10.9
Total customer rebates and credits deducted within net sales	$ 1.4	$ 1.9	$ 4.3	$ 5.3
Aeroworks [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Percentage of Voting Interests Acquired	80.00%		80.00%
Harter [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Percentage of Voting Interests Acquired	80.10%		80.10%