A non-destructive determination of material characteristics of an aircraft component is provided. To provide a simple determination of material characteristics, which can be implemented economically, it is provided to make available image data of a layer, which can be detected from outside using electromagnetic radiation, of a workpiece to be examined; to detect first areas having a first pixel characteristic using the image data; and to detect second areas having a second pixel characteristic using the image data; the first pixel characteristic being associated with a fiber inlay of a fiber composite layer; and the second pixel characteristic being associated with an at least part-crystalline thermoplastic polymer of the fiber composite layer, which thermoplastic polymer is in a crystalline state; and to determine a relationship of the first areas to the second areas.