A computer-implemented method for determining the air loads on the entire structure or on a component of the structure of a flight vehicle, comprising: determining a preferred aerodynamic shape of a structure of the vehicle; modifying the preferred aerodynamic shape based upon constraints; and determining, using aerodynamic computational fluid dynamics, limit loading conditions for the modified aerodynamic shape, said determining of limit load conditions comprising: preparing a 3-D, geometrical model of the structure of the flight vehicle; developing a 3-D, aerodynamic computational fluid dynamics model from the 3-D, geometrical model; running a first aerodynamic computational fluid dynamics analysis using the 3-D, computational fluid dynamic model and using various flight parameters to determine the air loads on the structure; analyzing the structure based upon the air loads on the structure determined by the first aerodynamic computational fluid dynamics analysis to determine a critical load case for each component in the structure; running a second aerodynamic computational fluid dynamics analysis using the 3-D, computational fluid dynamic model for each critical load case to determine critical air loads on the structure; and mapping the determined critical air loads on the structure to a finite element model definition; wherein the critical load case for each component in the structure is defined in terms of at least one of airspeed, angle of attack, and sideslip; and wherein the critical load case for each component is determined by peak loads in each of three force axes and in each of three moment axes, located at an aerodynamic center of the component. determining a preferred aerodynamic shape of a structure of the vehicle; modifying the preferred aerodynamic shape based upon constraints; and determining, using aerodynamic computational fluid dynamics, limit loading conditions for the modified aerodynamic shape, said determining of limit load conditions comprising: preparing a 3-D, geometrical model of the structure of the flight vehicle; developing a 3-D, aerodynamic computational fluid dynamics model from the 3-D, geometrical model; running a first aerodynamic computational fluid dynamics analysis using the 3-D, computational fluid dynamic model and using various flight parameters to determine the air loads on the structure; analyzing the structure based upon the air loads on the structure determined by the first aerodynamic computational fluid dynamics analysis to determine a critical load case for each component in the structure; running a second aerodynamic computational fluid dynamics analysis using the 3-D, computational fluid dynamic model for each critical load case to determine critical air loads on the structure; and mapping the determined critical air loads on the structure to a finite element model definition; preparing a 3-D, geometrical model of the structure of the flight vehicle; developing a 3-D, aerodynamic computational fluid dynamics model from the 3-D, geometrical model; running a first aerodynamic computational fluid dynamics analysis using the 3-D, computational fluid dynamic model and using various flight parameters to determine the air loads on the structure; analyzing the structure based upon the air loads on the structure determined by the first aerodynamic computational fluid dynamics analysis to determine a critical load case for each component in the structure; running a second aerodynamic computational fluid dynamics analysis using the 3-D, computational fluid dynamic model for each critical load case to determine critical air loads on the structure; and mapping the determined critical air loads on the structure to a finite element model definition; wherein the critical load case for each component in the structure is defined in terms of at least one of airspeed, angle of attack, and sideslip; and wherein the critical load case for each component is determined by peak loads in each of three force axes and in each of three moment axes, located at an aerodynamic center of the component.