If you look back far enough...you would notice that this all (more or less) changed when CAR4b became FAR25...in the mid-1950's.
Also suspect that, due to the rather poor airfield performance of the early jets (no leading edge devices, non-fan engines, ie: early B707) many could not make a 50' screen height. If many junior guys got into one of these aeroplanes today, they would wonder how they were ever certificated.
And...high altitude handling was no bargain either.