FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS (Details Textuals) (USD $)	Jan. 31, 2012	Oct. 31, 2011
Business Acquisition, Contingent Consideration [Line Items]
Assets held within irrevocable trusts and classified within other assets	$ 37,787,000	$ 31,087,000
Leadership Compensation Plan Assets	33,600,000	27,000,000
Related liabilities of deferred compensation plans, specified as other long-term liabilities	37,400,000	30,800,000
Leadership Compensation Plan, specified as other long-term Liability	$ 33,200,000	$ 26,700,000

Carrying amount as of the balance sheet date of assets held under Leadership Compensation Plan (Deferred Compensation Plan).

No definition available.

+ Details

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Period Type:	instant

- Definition

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

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	hei_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionContingentConsiderationLineItems
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Balance Type:	na
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 SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 17

-Article 5

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 210.5-02.17)

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

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