Abstract: A method to control the operation of a wind turbine is provided. Wind-related values as well as these operating parameters of the wind turbine are measured: electrical output power, parameters of the rotating blade-system, accelerations and thrusts, which are impacting on wind turbine components. The measured values are used to generate respective time-based statistics. The statistics are used to estimate at least one of these loads: tower bending moment, blade bending moment and/or tower yawing moment. The estimated loads are compared with load threshold values, which are pre-determined for the given type of the wind turbine. The operation of the wind turbine is controlled in a way that, taking into account the load estimations, respective loads are reduced.