Originally Posted by
NWAFA
You are correct. A 747 can lose 3 engines and continue to fly. Any plane can fly on one engine.
I've worked '47's that have lost an engine over the Pacific and narrow bodies over land. The passengers aren't even aware that anything has happened.
Indeed it can fly with 1, or even zero engines... but it can't maintain level flight. It'll be in descent from the point it loses the 3rd engine.