gibney85 you must be joking to make a statement on CRT's that doesn't even make sense, in hindsight you can always say that something is going to end up like that, doesn't particularly detract from Airbus' role. CRT screens will never take over from basic instruments, well now everything in terms of display is LCD and again this statement is nonsensical theres no argument it has taken over from the light aircraft like the Cirrus sr22 to Boeing 777.
The sidestick application in the A320 was the first for a commercial airliner and many pilots that fly it say it seems more natural to fly like this once you've done it a few times. Outside of commercial aviation there are various stick/yoke configurations but at the end of the day Airbus were the first to put it in an airliner. Take that as you will but it is a fact nonetheless.
A340 rival to 747? Not strictly as with the 777 it is used as a replacement for the classic 747 but not even the 346 is intended to be strictly a rival to the 744 but the 773