Minimizing dynamic structural loads of an aircraft, introduced by an external excitation, which, includes generating a signal (x) indicative of the external excitation; deriving signals (y) of pre-controlling for actuating control elements of the aircraft from the excitation indicating signal (x) in accordance with a pre-controlling rule, so as to reduce the dynamic structural loads introduced to the aircraft; generating an error signal (e, e*) representing performance of said pre-controlling; optimizing the pre-controlling rule by the error signal (e, e*) and/or the excitation indicating signal (x) so as to minimize the dynamic structural loads.