A fly-by-wire flight control system for a rotary wing aircraft comprising: a command model (C,C0,C'), wherein the command model (C,C0,C') is configured to shape aircrew commands into desired aircraft responses; an inverse aircraft model in communication with said command model (C,C0,C') to generate a flight control system command to produce the desired aircraft response; and a feedback path (K,K0,K') for feeding back a difference between the desired aircraft response from said command model and said aircraft response, said feedback path (K,K0,K') in communication with said flight control system command, characterized in that said fly-by-wire flight control system further comprises a simulation model comprising a virtual load sensor model and a Life Improving Control algorithm, wherein the virtual load sensor model is configured to estimate loads and predict peak loads and fatigue loads applied to aircraft components and wherein the Life Improving Control algorithm is utilized with the virtual load sensor model to estimate fatigue loads for an aircraft component life calculation to thereby determine an expected damage over life of each aircraft component due to the fatigue loads; said command model (C,C0,C') and said said feedback path (K,K0,K') are modified in response to said Life Improving Control algorithm; wherein said Life Improving Control algorithm is configured to reduce flight loads and prolong rotary-wing aircraft component service life by modifying said command model (C, C0, C') and said feedback path (K, K0, K') to reduce any of peak loads and fatigue loads applied to the component in response to an aircraft maneuver; wherein a set of flight control system parameters in said command model and in said feedback path within the simulation model of said flight control system are adjusted in an iterative process, said set of flight control system parameters utilized to modify said command model and said feedback path. a command model (C,C0,C'), wherein the command model (C,C0,C') is configured to shape aircrew commands into desired aircraft responses; an inverse aircraft model in communication with said command model (C,C0,C') to generate a flight control system command to produce the desired aircraft response; and a feedback path (K,K0,K') for feeding back a difference between the desired aircraft response from said command model and said aircraft response, said feedback path (K,K0,K') in communication with said flight control system command, characterized in that said fly-by-wire flight control system further comprises a simulation model comprising a virtual load sensor model and a Life Improving Control algorithm, wherein the virtual load sensor model is configured to estimate loads and predict peak loads and fatigue loads applied to aircraft components and wherein the Life Improving Control algorithm is utilized with the virtual load sensor model to estimate fatigue loads for an aircraft component life calculation to thereby determine an expected damage over life of each aircraft component due to the fatigue loads; said command model (C,C0,C') and said said feedback path (K,K0,K') are modified in response to said Life Improving Control algorithm; wherein said Life Improving Control algorithm is configured to reduce flight loads and prolong rotary-wing aircraft component service life by modifying said command model (C, C0, C') and said feedback path (K, K0, K') to reduce any of peak loads and fatigue loads applied to the component in response to an aircraft maneuver; wherein a set of flight control system parameters in said command model and in said feedback path within the simulation model of said flight control system are adjusted in an iterative process, said set of flight control system parameters utilized to modify said command model and said feedback path.