Amount, after accumulated amortization and accumulated impairment loss, of asset recognized from cost incurred to obtain or fulfill contract with customer.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 340
-SubTopic 40
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=68051541&loc=SL49131252-203054

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of obligation to transfer good or service to customer for which consideration has been received or is receivable.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118944033&loc=SL49130531-203044

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 8
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118956577&loc=SL49130549-203045

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118944033&loc=SL49130532-203044

+ Details

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

- Definition

The percentage of ownership of common stock or equity participation in the investee accounted for under the equity method of accounting.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 323
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (a)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=114001798&loc=d3e33918-111571

+ Details

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

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

- Definition

Date the Company and a third party entered into a binding agreement to form a joint venture in the format YYYY-MM-DD.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	wwd_AgreementForFormJointVentureExecutionDate
Namespace Prefix:	wwd_
Data Type:	xbrli:dateItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The annual cash inflow from the formation of a joint venture. The Company contributed certain contractual rights and intellectual property to the joint venture for which it had no cost basis. The joint venture partner paid the Company a lump sum and then will pay contingent consideration to the Company consisting of fiftenn annual payments for its ownership interest in the joint venture.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	wwd_ProceedsFromFormationOfJointVentureAnnualPayments
Namespace Prefix:	wwd_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Reduction to sales revenue related to royalties paid to a joint venture on sales to third party customers.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	wwd_SalesReductionRelatedToRoyaltiesPaid
Namespace Prefix:	wwd_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Increase in sales related to the amortizaiton of deferred income recorded in connection with the formation of a joint venture. The joint venture formation transaction was not the culmination of an earnings event and therefore the consideration received was recorded as deferred income to be recognized/amortized over the estimated remainig lives of the underlying programs assigned to the joint venture.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	wwd_SalesRevenueAmortizationOfDeferredIncomeFromFormationOfJointVenture
Namespace Prefix:	wwd_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	srt_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis=wwd_WoodwardAndGeneralElectricJointVentureMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis=us-gaap_OtherLiabilitiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis=us-gaap_OtherAssetsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis=us-gaap_SalesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Joint Venture (Narrative) (Details) - Woodward and General Electric Joint Venture [Member] - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019	Sep. 30, 2019
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Agreement to Form Joint Venture, Execution Date			Jan. 04, 2016
Ownership interest, joint venture	50.00%		50.00%
Cash received annually from formation of joint venture	$ 4,894	$ 4,894	$ 4,894
Other Liabilities [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Contract liabilities	72,783		72,783		$ 69,079
Other Assets [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Costs to fulfill a contract	72,783		72,783		$ 69,079
Sales [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Amortization of deferred income recognized as an increase to sales	1,821	1,922	3,529	$ 3,699
Reduction to sales related to royalties owed to joint venture	$ 9,779	$ 9,069	$ 17,013	$ 18,251