I've known wells that were dry and drillers were able to simply slide the bit down the current casing and just punch deeper to water. Then weld on more casing on the top.

Should be cheaper than punching a completely new hole.  If you're getting air that layer isn't able to recover fast enough. B.T.W.  8 gal/min recovery isn't bad.

I've got a couple hundred foot well and high iron water. Neighbor 1000 feet away,, arteision well water runs year round out of his well house and it's sweet as honey. He has a cheapo little garden type pump in his pump house and a never-ending supply of water.

I appologize for my remark.

Hope your wife's surgery was a complete success.

(I suppose I could just delete my first remark and leave the other's posts hanging, but I don't live that way, my first remark will stand as is, along with my appology)