An aircraft landing gear assembly comprising: a mounting coupling via which the landing gear assembly is arranged to be coupled to an aircraft, the mounting coupling being arranged to be movably coupled to an aircraft to be movable between a deployed condition for take-off and landing and a stowed condition for flight; a wheel assembly coupling arranged to be coupled to a wheel assembly; a structural linkage mechanically coupling the mounting coupling to the wheel coupling, the structural linkage comprising: a shock absorber (18, 34) including an external shock absorber abutment (19, 19'); and characterised by: a mechanical spring (22, 22'); and a linkage abutment (20, 20'), movably coupled with respect to the shock absorber abutment by the mechanical spring, the mechanical spring being arranged to bias the structural linkage to assume a default extended state in which the linkage abutment is spaced from the shock absorber abutment, the spring being compressible such that the shock absorber abutment can be moved into contact with the linkage abutment, wherein the mechanical spring is configured such that the force required to deform the spring sufficiently to place the linkage abutment at a predefined distance with respect to the shock absorber abutment, is less than the breakout force of the shock absorber a mounting coupling via which the landing gear assembly is arranged to be coupled to an aircraft, the mounting coupling being arranged to be movably coupled to an aircraft to be movable between a deployed condition for take-off and landing and a stowed condition for flight; a wheel assembly coupling arranged to be coupled to a wheel assembly; a structural linkage mechanically coupling the mounting coupling to the wheel coupling, the structural linkage comprising: a shock absorber (18, 34) including an external shock absorber abutment (19, 19'); and characterised by: a mechanical spring (22, 22'); and a linkage abutment (20, 20'), movably coupled with respect to the shock absorber abutment by the mechanical spring, the mechanical spring being arranged to bias the structural linkage to assume a default extended state in which the linkage abutment is spaced from the shock absorber abutment, the spring being compressible such that the shock absorber abutment can be moved into contact with the linkage abutment, wherein the mechanical spring is configured such that the force required to deform the spring sufficiently to place the linkage abutment at a predefined distance with respect to the shock absorber abutment, is less than the breakout force of the shock absorber a shock absorber (18, 34) including an external shock absorber abutment (19, 19'); and characterised by: a mechanical spring (22, 22'); and a linkage abutment (20, 20'), movably coupled with respect to the shock absorber abutment by the mechanical spring, the mechanical spring being arranged to bias the structural linkage to assume a default extended state in which the linkage abutment is spaced from the shock absorber abutment, the spring being compressible such that the shock absorber abutment can be moved into contact with the linkage abutment, a mechanical spring (22, 22'); and a linkage abutment (20, 20'), movably coupled with respect to the shock absorber abutment by the mechanical spring, the mechanical spring being arranged to bias the structural linkage to assume a default extended state in which the linkage abutment is spaced from the shock absorber abutment, the spring being compressible such that the shock absorber abutment can be moved into contact with the linkage abutment, wherein the mechanical spring is configured such that the force required to deform the spring sufficiently to place the linkage abutment at a predefined distance with respect to the shock absorber abutment, is less than the breakout force of the shock absorber