B737 MAX 8
Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Ground Event / Encounter Ground Equipment Issue
General None Reported / Taken
Aircraft; Procedure
As I approached the outside of the aircraft for the external pre-flight; I noticed the nose strut fully extended.  I am over 6 feet tall and was able to walk fully standing up from the front of the nose into the wheel well without ducking (fuselage was approximately an additional one foot above my head).  As I continued the pre-flight; the aircraft nose strut compressed and traveled approximately two feet down (same reference point on forward opening of the nose wheel that was above my head was now level with my nose).  If this had occurred as I was under the nose or inside the wheel well; the aircraft would have struck me in the head. I understand we do not use the tail stand for the MAX 8 due to its inability to tilt back on its tail during unloading/deplaning; but the excessive nose strut travel during the unloading process is a hazard to pre-flight Crews.
B737 MAX 8 First Officer reported noticing the nose strut was fully extended during pre-flight of the aircraft and then compressing back down traveling 'approximately' two feet.  The First Officer expressed concerns with possibly being struck while being under the aircraft as the nose compresses. Reporter suggested the use of tail stands should be implemented on all MAX 8 aircraft to prevent this from occurring.