Joint Venture	12 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2016
Equity Method Investments and Joint Ventures [Abstract]
Joint Venture	Note 4. Joint ventures On January 4, 2016, Woodward and General Electric Company (“GE”), acting through its GE Aviation business unit, consummated the formation of a strategic joint venture between Woodward and GE (the “JV”). The JV designs, develops and sources the fuel system for specified existing and all future GE commercial aircraft engines that produce thrust in excess of fifty thousand pounds. As part of the JV formation, Woodward contributed to the JV certain contractual rights and intellectual property applicable to the existing GE commercial aircraft engine programs within the scope of the JV. Woodward has no initial cost basis in the JV because Woodward had no cost basis in the contractual rights and intellectual property contributed to the JV. GE purchased from Woodward a 50% ownership interest in the JV for a $250,000 cash payment to Woodward. In addition, GE will pay contingent consideration to Woodward consisting of fifteen annual payments of $4,894 per year beginning January 4, 2017 subject to certain claw-back conditions. Neither Woodward nor GE contributed any tangible assets to the JV. Woodward determined that the JV formation was not the culmination of an earnings event because Woodward has significant performance obligations to support the future operations of the JV. Therefore, Woodward recorded the $250,000 consideration received from GE for its purchase of a 50% equity interest in the JV as deferred income. The $250,000 deferred income will be recognized as an increase to net sales in proportion to revenue realized on sales of applicable fuel systems within the scope of the JV in a particular period as a percentage of total revenue expected to be realized by Woodward over the estimated remaining lives of the underlying commercial aircraft engine programs assigned to the JV. As of September 30, 2016, accrued liabilities include $6,552 and other liabilities include $238,187 of unamortized deferred income realized upon the JV formation. Amortization of the deferred income recognized as an increase to sales was $5,261 for the nine-months ended September 30, 2016. The $250,000 cash consideration received from GE on January 4, 2016 is taxable upon receipt for income tax purposes but not currently recognized in earnings for book purposes. Therefore, during the three month period ended March 31, 2016, Woodward recorded a deferred tax asset of $94,125. Woodward and GE jointly manage the JV and any significant decisions and/or actions of the JV require the mutual consent of both parties. Neither Woodward nor GE has a controlling financial interest in the JV, but both Woodward and GE do have the ability to significantly influence the operating and financial decisions of the JV. Therefore, Woodward is accounting for its 50% ownership interest in the JV using the equity method of accounting. The JV is a related party to Woodward. Other income includes $6,204 for the nine-months ended September 30, 2016 related to Woodward’s equity interest in the earnings of the JV. During the nine-months ended September 30, 2016, Woodward received no cash distributions from the JV and therefore, Woodward’s net investment in the JV was $6,204 as of September 30, 2016. During the nine-months ended September 30, 2016, Woodward’s net sales include $46,973 of sales to the JV and a reduction to sales of $21,391 related to royalties paid to the JV by Woodward on sales by Woodward directly to third party aftermarket customers. The Consolidated Balance Sheet at September 30, 2016, included “Accounts receivable” of $5,326 related to amounts the JV owed Woodward and included “Accounts payable” of $3,926 related to amounts Woodward owed the JV.

Note 4. Joint ventures

On January 4, 2016, Woodward and General Electric Company (“GE”), acting through its GE Aviation business unit, consummated the formation of a strategic joint venture between Woodward and GE (the “JV”). The JV designs, develops and sources the fuel system for specified existing and all future GE commercial aircraft engines that produce thrust in excess of fifty thousand pounds.

As part of the JV formation, Woodward contributed to the JV certain contractual rights and intellectual property applicable to the existing GE commercial aircraft engine programs within the scope of the JV. Woodward has no initial cost basis in the JV because Woodward had no cost basis in the contractual rights and intellectual property contributed to the JV. GE purchased from Woodward a 50% ownership interest in the JV for a $250,000 cash payment to Woodward. In addition, GE will pay contingent consideration to Woodward consisting of fifteen annual payments of $4,894 per year beginning January 4, 2017 subject to certain claw-back conditions. Neither Woodward nor GE contributed any tangible assets to the JV.

Woodward determined that the JV formation was not the culmination of an earnings event because Woodward has significant performance obligations to support the future operations of the JV. Therefore, Woodward recorded the $250,000 consideration received from GE for its purchase of a 50% equity interest in the JV as deferred income. The $250,000 deferred income will be recognized as an increase to net sales in proportion to revenue realized on sales of applicable fuel systems within the scope of the JV in a particular period as a percentage of total revenue expected to be realized by Woodward over the estimated remaining lives of the underlying commercial aircraft engine programs assigned to the JV. As of September 30, 2016, accrued liabilities include $6,552 and other liabilities include $238,187 of unamortized deferred income realized upon the JV formation. Amortization of the deferred income recognized as an increase to sales was $5,261 for the nine-months ended September 30, 2016.

The $250,000 cash consideration received from GE on January 4, 2016 is taxable upon receipt for income tax purposes but not currently recognized in earnings for book purposes. Therefore, during the three month period ended March 31, 2016, Woodward recorded a deferred tax asset of $94,125.

Woodward and GE jointly manage the JV and any significant decisions and/or actions of the JV require the mutual consent of both parties. Neither Woodward nor GE has a controlling financial interest in the JV, but both Woodward and GE do have the ability to significantly influence the operating and financial decisions of the JV. Therefore, Woodward is accounting for its 50% ownership interest in the JV using the equity method of accounting. The JV is a related party to Woodward. Other income includes $6,204 for the nine-months ended September 30, 2016 related to Woodward’s equity interest in the earnings of the JV. During the nine-months ended September 30, 2016, Woodward received no cash distributions from the JV and therefore, Woodward’s net investment in the JV was $6,204 as of September 30, 2016.

During the nine-months ended September 30, 2016, Woodward’s net sales include $46,973 of sales to the JV and a reduction to sales of $21,391 related to royalties paid to the JV by Woodward on sales by Woodward directly to third party aftermarket customers. The Consolidated Balance Sheet at September 30, 2016, included “Accounts receivable” of $5,326 related to amounts the JV owed Woodward and included “Accounts payable” of $3,926 related to amounts Woodward owed the JV.