diff --git a/python3-flightgear/flightgear/meta/strutils.py b/python3-flightgear/flightgear/meta/strutils.py
new file mode 100644
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+++ b/python3-flightgear/flightgear/meta/strutils.py
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+
+# strutils.py --- Convenient string helpers
+# Copyright (C) 2020  Florent Rougon
+#
+# This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+# it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+# the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or
+# (at your option) any later version.
+#
+# This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+# but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+# GNU General Public License for more details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along
+# with this program; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc.,
+# 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA.
+
+import re
+
+
+_simplifyString_cre = re.compile(r"[ \t\n\r]+")
+
+def simplify(s):
+    """Strip and replace every internal run of whitespace with a single space.
+
+    In this case, “whitespace” is defined as anything matching the
+    regular expression '[ \t\n\r]+'.
+
+    """
+    return _simplifyString_cre.sub(" ", s.strip())